Reborn
by Luna x3
Summary: What if Jacob hadn't saved Bella when she infamously leapt from the cliff? What if it had been up to Edward to save her? What if there was only one way to truly save her from death? Read on to find out just how unbreakable Bella and Edward's true love is.
1. Chapter 1

Reborn

**Reborn**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, or any of its characters.**_

_**I also do not own the first part of this chapter (which is in italics), That segment is taken from page 361 of New Moon by Stephenie Meyer.**_  
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**BELLA  
**

_I didn't want to fight anymore. And it wasn't the light-headedness or the cold, or the failure of my arms as the muscles gave out in exhaustion, that made me content to stay where I was. I was almost happy that it was over. This was an easier death than others I'd faced. Oddly peaceful._

I saw him, and I had no will to fight. it was so clear, so much more defined than any memory my subconscious had stored Edward away in flawless detail, saving him for this final moment. I could see his perfect face as if he were really there; the exact shade of his icy skin, the shape of his lips, the line of his jaw, the gold glinting in his furious eyes. he was angry, naturally, that I was giving up. His teeth were clenched and his nostrils flared with rage. 

"_No! Bella, no!"_

_Goodbye, I love you, was my last thought._

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**EDWARD**

This day, above all, was the most painful for me.

As I watched the sun rise over the cool and wistful waters, I felt physical _pain_ tear at my insides; it was as if my still heart had begun beating again, and I had been inflicted with some fatal wound; a dagger in my heart, a knife that repeatedly stabbed at my core. I had felt such feelings before, but never quite so strong.

And suddenly, as intense as the pain itself, her face flashed across my mind, as vivid as if she stood before me now. Her brown eyes were warm and laughing, her cheeks warm with the flow of her blood, her lips tugging gently into a smile. She was so beautiful, so beautiful . . .

And then her face came to me again, only this time, it was still. Her skin was pale, nearly as pale as my own, with an odd blue cast. Her eyes weren't laughing now; they drifted between open and closed, as if she were nodding in and out of sleep. Her hair fanned out behind her, as if she were . . .

"No! Bella, no!" I howled the words, and they echoed around me, pulling me back into reality. The pain in my chest was worse than ever, burning . . . burning . . . I fell to the sand, my hands pressed against my face. I wished for tears that wouldn't come, that hadn't been able to come in over a hundred years.

With sudden clarity, I heard Bella's voice whisper in my ear:

_Goodbye, I love you._

"Bella," I whispered to nobody; to the ocean, maybe.

Bella, _my _Bella.

This wasn't the first time I had had this sort of vision; in fact, more recently the visions had been coming more frequently, each time ripping more out of my non-existent soul.

I wondered if I was going mad. These visions certainly weren't a part of my power; only Alice had been able to do that sort of thing.

I recalled one of the more recent ones: Bella, straddling a motor cycle, her grin wild and fierce. This one had puzzled me; why would I be seeing Bella on a motorcycle? This wasn't a memory – I was sure of that – for I never would even have allowed Bella to go near one. If the girl couldn't handle a truck, I thought wryly, she certainly couldn't handle a monster like that.

"Edward?" The sound of footfalls was clear in the otherwise perfect silence.

I instinctively positioned my body into crouch, ready to pounce if necessary. When I heard the familiar, comforting sound of Alice's thoughts, I relaxed, rising to my feet.

"Oh, Edward," Alice's beautiful face was tragic; her normally golden eyes were darkened with thirst, and her features were cast with a mood that only could have been described as dread. If I hadn't known better, I would have said that she was in tears.

"Alice," I started, but then I stopped. She ran to me, embracing me tightly, resting her head on my hollow chest. I scanned her mind, trying to alleviate some of her anxiety, but then I stopped. Her thoughts were hectic, but one word danced across, vivid as a crimson bird in a pale blue sky.

"Alice, what happened?"

She pulled away and looked up into my eyes, her lips trembling.

"Edward . . . Bella . . ."

All at once, the pain was back, ferocious and relentless. I grimaced, clutching my chest with one hand.

"What happened? Tell me." I was surprised at the evenness of my tone.

"Edward . . . I'm not even sure myself . . . she's in the hospital now. . . she was found in the water, she nearly drowned . . ."

_Nearly drowned_.

The vision came back to me with startling clarity; Bella, drifting in the water . . . that was why her skin had been cast with that strange blue hue . . . why her hair had danced around her face like that . . .

"I saw her . . . jump off of some sort of cliff. She . . ."

But I didn't hear anything else Alice had said after that.

Bella had _jumped_. She had tried to _kill herself_.

Because I had left her.

I had told her I no longer loved her, and she believed me.

"Edward, you need to come back. If worse comes to worst . . ."

I snapped my head to look at her, furious, for I had heard the thought dance across her mind.

"_NO. _Alice, _no._ We won't need to resort to that; she isn't . . . she's not _dying_, surely . . . surely, she is going to be okay."

But Alice shook her head sadly. "She's in a coma, Edward. They don't even know if . . ." She broke off, unable to continue.

"No," I whispered. Bella . . . _my_ Bella couldn't be so near death . . . to never have her again . . . to see her lying so still, her cheeks void of the blood that had always rushed so willingly when I touched her, to see her so fragile, to see her . . .

"Carlisle's taking care of her, Edward. We're moving back into the house. At this point, there is no other option."

I nodded numbly, my thoughts still elsewhere.

"Please come home with me, Edward . . . we need you . . . _Bella_ needs you . . ."

I almost felt anger at Alice in that moment, for even taking a moment to doubt that I would come back, that I wouldn't do everything in my power to keep her alive . . .

Or to at least see her one last time, if . . .

I shuddered. That wasn't a possibility.

"Edward?" Her eyes were anxious, too afraid to be hopeful. She was poised, ready to run at my word.

And so I ran, ignoring the thoughts I did not want to hear, hiding from the thoughts I did not want to see.

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Read and Review. Chapter 2 will be up in a couple days or less.

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	2. Chapter 2

Reborn

**Reborn**

_**Thanks to everyone for reviewing!**_

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**BELLA**

Darkness.

I lay coiled inside a deep, dark place of my mind. I could not see, could not hear, could not speak . . .

The darkness was comforting; it was a shell for me to hide in.

_Hide from what?_

I did not know.

Occasionally, I was able to hear; distant voices, far, far away.

I heard a mixed assortment of words, mostly, but occasionally I would hear my name.

My name?

Bella.

Usually, the sound of my name was like a passing breeze: it was there, but it passed over me, usually unnoticed.

But then I heard someone else, someone different.

If I had ever doubted my name until that moment, I certainly did not doubt it now.

The voice was perfect; it was smooth as silk, as rich as velvet.

Bella, it whispered. Just that one word, my name, uttered by the beautiful voice.

A face I knew better than my own. A face I had painstakingly memorized, from the line of his jaw to the snow-white shade of his skin.

_Edward,_ my mind breathed.

From far away, I felt my lips move.

I heard a familiar voice; _my_ voice.

"Oh, Edward," I sighed, the darkness feeling more than ever like a prison.

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**EDWARD**

It was worse than I ever could have imagined.

I had hoped, rather unreasonably, that I would find Bella in good health.

That I would find her awake, her eyes cast down shyly, her cheeks warming with her blood.

But Bella was not awake. She lie still, as if she were . . .

Her skin was pale; I could safely say it was the same wintry shade as my own. Purple rings circled her eyes, as if she had already been turned, as if she was starving . . . for blood. As if she were a monster, a beast, like myself. As if she were not the angel, the innocent being, that she was

I felt unbearable sadness, as I stood staring down at this beautiful creature.

"Bella," I whispered, my unbeating heart aching in my chest.

And then, she moved . . .

"Oh, Edward,"

The words were barely coherent; her speech was slurred, and barely audible . . .

But _I_ had heard them.

I felt a trifle of hope spark inside of me; she couldn't be so close to death if she knew I was here, could she? If she could feel my presence? If she could _speak_?

I reached for her hand, holding it as tightly as I could in my own without damaging it. I was dismayed to find that her skin wasn't warm, but rather nearly the same temperature as my own. I slid my thumb up and down the back of her hand, hoping to create some sort of heat, some sort of friction . . .

"Edward," She sighed again, the word no more than a breath of air.

"Interesting."

I turned around, surprised to see Carlisle standing behind me. I felt a tiny fraction of annoyance at him, for interrupting this moment, but it disappeared quickly.

"How is she?" I feared the answer to my question.

"She is as well as can be expected." He picked up her chart from the bedside table, scanning various test results. "I'm quite surprised that she spoke, actually. She shouldn't be able to." He smiled wryly. "But then, you've always had an interesting reaction on her, haven't you?"

I shrugged. He had not directly answered me, and that worried me.

"How have you been, Edward? We've all missed you a great deal . . . Esme, especially. You know how much it hurts her when you leave . . .

I scowled. How dare he mention Esme hurting over my absence, when Bella had . . .

I could not bring myself to think the words.

Carlisle nodded. "I understand your anger, Edward. And even though you already are fully aware of this, I just want to say how strongly you've proved yourself wrong."

When I looked at him, perplexed, he continued.

"You said that by leaving, you were helping Bella; you said that she would be safer without you, most especially from harm. And yet, here we are." He waved his hand in the air, gesturing towards her. "You put her in more harm by leaving her, for you severed her from the one thing in this world that she cared most deeply about; you."

I turned away from him, my gaze resting on Bella's fragile form. How tempted I was to lean down and kiss her; to break the spell – just as in the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. To be her prince once more . . .

"I trust that Alice has told you our backup plan?"

I nodded sharply. My grip tightened on Bella's hand.

"If you truly wish to keep her alive, then I feel that is what we are going to have to resort to."

I laughed, though the sound contained no mirth. Oh, the irony of it; to keep Bella alive, I must first take away her life, her soul . . .

Carlisle shrugged. "If you refuse to comply, Edward, I know there are a few others who would be devastated to see Bella dead – myself included. I can't understand _why_ you wouldn't want to, though – putting your feelings on your soul aside."

He, of course, did not understand the depth of my anxiety. Of course I wanted to keep Bella . . . _alive_, for lack of a better term. As much as I hated the idea of never being able to see her blush again, to feel her heart pound beneath her chest . . . I longed more for there to be a day where we could finally be together, safely. A day where I did not have to hesitate when I kissed her, when I touched her . . .

But would Bella want to be with me forever? What if we changed her, and she woke _hating_ me?

Because _I_ had lied to her, because _I_ had convinced her that I no longer loved her, she was now on her potential deathbed.

The thought sickened me to no end.

Carlisle wasn't waiting for my response; he merely stood beside me, a curious expression on his face.

"Carlisle . . . what if she doesn't _want_ to be a vampire? To live forever . . ." I struggled to finish the sentence, my voice no more than a whisper, " . . . with me?"

As I spoke, Bella's fingers tightened very slightly around mine. She sighed, almost discontentedly, as if she were protesting my words.

Carlisle was smiling slightly, and he rested a hand on my shoulder. "I've been a doctor for many, many years, and never once have I seen someone in her condition respond to such an extent."

He paused thoughtfully.

"If that's not enough of an answer for you, Edward, then I don't know what is."

He left me alone in the room then; alone with Bella. I watched her in silence for a long while, my ears catching every one of her breaths, my eyes focusing on the rise and fall of her chest.

"I love you," I whispered.

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	3. Chapter 3

Reborn

**Reborn**

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**EDWARD**

I could not help but eavesdrop when Carlisle went to tell Charlie that Bella would be transferred to a 'clinic', in order for 'new and special treatments' to be performed on her.

The 'clinic', of course, was our house. The 'new and special treatments' consisted of turning Bella into one of us.

I was still in Bella's room, of course, at my now permanent spot by her side. I closed my eyes, holding her hand to my cheek, as I listened. It took me only a few seconds to catch onto and separate their thoughts.

_Charlie, Bella will need to be sent to a special clinic, not far from here. We're positive that we can help her there._

Charlie's thoughts were cold towards Carlisle, and stiff. Because of me, I realized.

_And will I be able to visit her at this clinic?_

_Ah . . . no, Charlie, I'm afraid not. They don't allow visitors there; clinic rules, you know._

And how long will it be before she is home again?

_Not long . . . not long. A week, at most._

There was a long stretch of silence, both parties deep in thought. Then Charlie cleared his throat.

_Carlisle, I am very grateful that you're taking care of Bella; I know she is in good hands. But I want to talk to you about your son._

Another pause.

_Ah, of course. _

Charlie, of course, did not know that I was here. Whenever he would come to visit Bella, I would hide, unseen, in one of the darker corners of the room.

But I would never leave this room – her side. Never.

_You don't know what Edward put her through. You don't know how it was to sit across from her every day, her eyes void of any emotion. She simply stopped _living_. She ate, she breathed, she slept . . . but she did little else. She lost a great deal of weight, too, and I had debated whether or not I should admit her to a hospital, just to make sure she wouldn't wither away . . . _

I felt the familiar pain inside my chest; the terrible, aching wound.

The guilt was overwhelming. I had _hurt_ her.

The one thing I promised her I would never do.

_I don't want your boy near my Bella, ever again. And I hope you can understand that._

There was another pause, longer this time.

_Charlie, I understand where you're coming from. Given the circumstances, I'm not even surprised that you feel so. But I would also like you to hear _my_ side of the story.  
_

He sighed.

_  
Edward was suffering, just as much as Bella was. It had been my decision to leave Forks, and Edward couldn't have stayed here with her, could he have? He . . . broke things off with her, mainly to save her the heartbreak that she would have experienced otherwise. He thought he was protecting her.  
_

I was surprised by the ease of his lies; though of course, we all were good liars. We had to be.

I had lied to Bella, after all. I had told her I stopped loving her.

That of course, was the wickedest, blackest blasphemy that had ever been told; the day that I stopped loving Bella, would be the day that I cease to exist.

_Carlisle . . . he's your son, so naturally, you are going to defend him . . ._

Charlie. I'm not even defending him at this point; I'm simply explaining what went on in his mind . . . essentially, why he did the things he did. I've told him my extreme dislike of what he did – I knew what an affect it would have on him . . . on Bella, too.

The men sighed, tensely staring at each other. Finally, I heard a break in Charlie's thoughts . . . a sudden softness, perhaps.

_Perhaps I am mistaken about Edward . . . or perhaps not. But I shouldn't be wasting so much time worrying about that, when there's Bella's health up in the air like this._

Yes, Charlie, that does seem more crucial at the moment. 

_I suppose, if Bella still wants Edward after all this . . . _

He broke off there, and I knew the conversation had come to a close.

I caught Charlie's thoughts once more – he was coming to check on Bella, now – and I kissed her hand lightly before darting off to find darkness in the dimly lit room. I crouched down, low, in a corner that would be visible only to those whose vision surpassed the average human eyesight.

The door opened then, and a weary looking Charlie walked in. He tensed for a moment, as if he sensed my presence, and then he sighed.

"Hey, kid," he murmured, walking over to sit in the wooden chair that I had just abandoned. He reached for her hand, the very hand I had just kissed, and held it in his lap.

He sat in silence for a few moments, obviously deep in thought. I felt slightly embarrassed, as if this moment was too personal for me to witness.

But I would _not_ let Bella out of my sight, _ever again._

"So, Bells, I hear they're transferring you to some clinic somewhere," Charlie's voice was full of false brightness, as if he were trying to look happy on Bella's behalf. "Doctor Cullen seems to think they can help you there, and you know I won't say no to that."

I caught the next thought in his mind before he said it, and I had to stop myself from sighing.

"I know how you feel about Edward, Bella, and I'm not going to forbid you for feeling so." His voice was little more than a whisper, and very dry. "Apparently, the kid still loves you, though if he truly did, I can't imagine why he would ever do this to you . . ."

The familiar pain came back, and I felt my chest ache with guilt once more. Must I constantly be reminded of what I'd done to her? Of the pain I brought her? It was hard enough to see her lying there, to know what I would have to do to her in a very short while . . .

"But then, I suppose he meant well." He shrugged, and started to stand up. "I'm hoping that the next time I see you, Bells, you'll be a tad more talkative." He sighed, took in one last look of his daughter, and then left us alone.

I sat gently on the edge of her bed, resting my hand on the side of her face.

"My angel," I whispered.

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**EDWARD**

Carlisle rested Bella gently on the wide, black leather couch in my room, careful not to upset her IV; he had told me that he was going to give her generous doses of morphine, in an attempt to take away some of the pain that the venom would inflict upon her.

He turned to look at me, his eyes careful.

"Have you decided yet?" His voice was even, calm; he was trying too hard not to upset me.

He was referring, of course, to who would make the change; to which one of us would be the one to bite her.

I desperately wanted to, merely because I knew that was what Bella would have wanted – if she had had a say in the matter.

_If_ she still loved me, of course.

But what if I couldn't stop? What if the attraction of her blood was simply too much for me to handle? What if I _killed_ her?

Carlisle seemed to read my mind, and eyed me warily before speaking. "You were able to hold back last year, weren't you? When James bit her? I should think that you are stronger now . . ." His voice grew solemn, quiet. "I _will_ do it, of course, if that is what you wish."

I stood in silence, not sure what the correct answer would be.

He nodded. "I'll give you a moment to think about it; I'll be in the other room."

And with that, he left me alone with her, my mind in disarray.

Without thinking, I kneeled down beside her, so that my face was mere inches from her own. I stared, unblinking, at her pale, lavender eyelids . . . at the bruises that circled her eyes . . . at her pale, pale skin . . . her full, tender lips . . .

And then I kissed her, surprising myself. I kissed her more passionately then I ever had, her flowery scent flooding my nostrils, so tempting . . . My hand slide behind her head, nestling in her hair, keeping her close . . .

And then suddenly, she was kissing me back. I felt the familiar heat rush into her skin, the blood boiling beneath her lips. I heard her heart pounding wildly in her chest, a sound I had longed for, for I had not heard it in such a long time . . .

And then Bella's eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first, but eventually staring straight into my own.

"Edward?"

Her voice as clear as a bell.

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Dundundun, cliffhanger!

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	4. Chapter 4

Reborn

**Reborn**

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**BELLA**

Naturally, I assumed I was dead.

I was angry, really. Frustrated. Of all the ways to go, of all the times I had stared death in the face – the face being the blood-red eyes of a thirsty vampire – and escaped, and I had died by means of a silly, Quileute sport.

I knew I was dead because Edward was here. Also, because he had been kissing me.

The real Edward, I knew, did not love me anymore, and would certainly not have been kissing me.

It was odd, though. His beautiful, angelic face wasn't at peace, as it should have been. It was more tormented than anything else, his beautiful lips tightened into a frown, his forehead creased with deep concern.

Also, my Angel-Edward's eyes were a deep black, as if he hadn't been hunting in a long time. Surely heaven could have satisfied his appetite, at least?

"Bella," he whispered, a sound even more beautiful then I had remembered. The voices my subconscious had recalled were _nothing_ compared to the real thing. I smiled, in spite of myself. His thumb rested under my ear, his remaining fingers curling gently against my jaw.

All at once, a terrible, throbbing pain rushed through my skull. I let out a small gasp in surprise. It had felt as if someone had taken a swing with a baseball bat. I moaned a little, desperate for the pain to ease up . . . desperate not to go back into the darkness, I told myself.

That thought puzzled me. What darkness?

"Bella, love," Edward's voice, urgent with what I recognized with unfathomable concern, pulled me away from my thoughts. His dark eyes were smoldering, a sight that was slightly more alarming than it would have been if they were their usual golden color.

"Edward," My voice sounded oddly weak and breathless, as if I had just run a long distance. I wasn't sure what to say, what to ask. What does one say to their angel?

I started with the most reasonable statement: "I'm confused."

He nodded, his eyes unblinking. "I suppose you would be, considering . . ." He sighed, his sweet breath flowering over my lips; I inhaled the scent, closing my eyes as I recalled and savored the amazing quality of it – sweet, somehow, and mouthwatering . . .

"Do you . . . remember anything?" His voice was guarded now, wary – but at the same time it was tender, as if he were speaking to an infant or a small child. How odd.

"Sure I do – I drowned, didn't I?" My voice was cheerful for such bleak words, and I fought the urge to smile. I had won, at least. I wouldn't have to live another day without worrying about the deep, tearing pain that had settled in my chest for so long now . . .

Edward's eyes closed now, and he inhaled deeply, as if he were enduring some terrible pain. "No, Bella . . .you didn't drown." He paused, trying to fight the right words, I guessed. "You aren't dead, Bella."

I felt my heart thud erratically in my chest, as if someone had electrified me . . . as if it were letting me know how true his words were.

I wasn't . . . dead.

I had survived.

Whatever blood that had settled in my cheeks from his kiss was gone, and a cold chill settled underneath my skin.

_Impossible_. I had, most definitely, moved on. I had _felt_ it happening . . . the slowing of my heartbeat, the burning in my lungs as they were flooded with salt water, the perfect image of Edward as I said my final goodbye . . .

I narrowed my eyes at him, a feat that sent another wave of pain rushing through my head. "You're lying."

He smiled in a way that didn't reach his eyes, his thumb stroking my jaw. "No, love . . . and I'm glad I'm not, so glad . . ." For a moment I thought he was going to kiss me again – he had leaned in quite close to my face and was staring at me in a way that he had once, in a time that seemed so long ago – but he didn't. "I'm so glad you're _alive_, Bella, you have no idea . . ."

I struggled to sit up, but decided it was useless; the pain in my head was only getting worse. "That can't be right . . ." My tone was laced with accusation.

He closed his eyes again, his expression painted with agony. "Please, Bella."

"Edward," The word held a different weight now that this _was_ the real Edward, and not a figment of my imagination. "I don't understand . . . you _left_ me. You didn't . . ." The words were painful to say, and came out as a whisper at the end. "You didn't _want me_."

He inhaled deeply, pinching the familiar spot on the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Give me a chance to explain." He said, his voice struggling to stay even.

"The past few months, Bella, have been torture for me. I tried, so hard, to live without you . . . but that is an impossible task. There _is_ no life without _you_, Bella. There is no point in even _existing_ if I can't be by your side . . ."

I felt the familiar hole inside of me beginning to tear, for I knew this had to be a lie. I started to fold my arms across my chest, prepared to hold myself when the true pain would begin.

He continued, his voice uneven now – broken. "When Alice came to me, telling me that you tried to kill yourself the way you did . . . Bella, you _can't_ imagine the pain I felt, the guilt . . ."

I blinked. Wait. What?

"Edward . . . I didn't try to kill myself," I spoke slowly, unsure of what reaction I would arise out of him. His eyes snapped open, his face hard.

"Bella, you jumped off of a cliff. I think that would constitute as an attempt at suicide." I did not miss the dryness of his words.

I shook my head, confused, ignoring the blinding pain that occurred when I did so. "No, that wasn't . . . I was cliff diving . . . its something that the kids in La Push do . . ."

He froze, his hand withdrawing from my face. "Cliff . . . diving . . ." He pronounced the words very slowly, a low growl audible from somewhere deep inside his chest.

"My friend . . . remember Jacob Black? He was supposed to take me to do it one day, only he wasn't around, and so I decided to do it on my own because I wanted to hear . . ."

I paused. Oops. I didn't think it would have been such a good idea if I told him about the hallucinations just yet . . . did I?

"What did you want to hear?" His eyes were smoldering again, boring into my skull. I swallowed, annoyed at the affect they had on me.

"Nothing," I whispered. I couldn't tell him. I couldn't let him now how pathetic I was, how pitiful. Not when he didn't love me anymore.

"_Please_, Bella?" Smoldering. His hand found my own, and I found the icy temperature of his skin comforting, even now.

"You're going to laugh at me," was my brilliant response. He leaned his face even closer into mine, blinking once.

"_Please_?" His voice was smoother than velvet now; it was silk. I sighed in defeat.

"Every time I did something remotely dangerous – and I did quite a few things – I would hear your voice." The words spilled from my lips involuntarily, and I groaned, wishing I could stuff them right back inside of me.

Edward wore a curious expression now, almost as if he were trying to carefully to keep his face composed. "Elaborate on that, please?"

"I don't know if I can . . . I don't even understand it myself. The first time it happened was in Port Angeles, when . . ." I paused. If I told him about following the men into the bar, he'd be furious.

No, wait. He probably wouldn't care much now, would he?

"In Port Angeles, there were these men that reminded me of those guys who had followed me the night . . . the night you saved me."

He nodded, his eyes hard. It was funny, but it almost seemed as if the memory pained him.

"I followed them, though I'm not sure why. I was crazy, maybe. I followed them into a bar, and that's when it happened." I was afraid to look at his face, so I stared at my hands. "I heard you telling me to turn around – you reminded me of the promise I had made you to you."

I took a peek at his face, and was surprised to find that he had grown even paler – if that was even _possible_ – and that his expression was tight with fury.

"Bella . . .how could you be so ridiculous? Do you realize what could have _happened_ to you?" He moaned, as if he were picturing the very things in his head. "I can't believe you could be so irresponsible, especially after I specifically told you not . . ."

But then he froze, his face tight. "No, impossible," He muttered to himself, shaking his head; it was as if trying to rid himself of a thought. I didn't understand this, but I took this break in thought as an opportunity.

"Edward, I don't even know _why_ I'm telling you all of this . . ." Of course that was a lie – he had dazzled me into it, of course. "I don't even know why you're _here_."

A wave of hurt suddenly pained his expression, and he rearranged himself so that he wasn't quite so close to me. "I see," His voice was quiet, sad. "Did you want me to leave, then? I truly understand if you do."

Perhaps it was the aching pain in my head, but I had never felt more confused than in that moment. "That's just it though – you left me. Guilty or not, you told me that you no longer shared the same feelings that I had for you – that you no longer wanted me. And so it just doesn't make sense that you'd be sitting here now, by my side, even if you _did_ think that I had tried to kill myself . . ."

He chuckled now, a mirthless sound. "Bella, I never wanted to leave you. I didn't have a _choice_." When he saw the lost expression on my face, he continued. "You were the light of my existence, the very core of my being. And yet my very being with you was putting your life in danger.

"Every time I kissed you, I had to worry that I wasn't strong enough, that it would be too much for me. Every time I touched you, I had to worry that I wouldn't hurt you, bruise you . . ." He shook his head mournfully. "And then of course, if it hadn't been for me, James never would have even have known that you _existed_ . . ." His eyes briefly glanced at the crescent-shaped scar on my hand.

"And then it was your eighteenth birthday, and you were very nearly killed because of something is frivolous as a paper-cut. How could I willingly keep you in the line of danger like that, knowing that every moment I spent with you could have been your last?

"And so I left, Bella. I _had_ to. You see, there simply _was no other option_. If it meant losing you forever . . . well, I'd rather lose you _that_ way then in the other."

He was quiet now, and so I spoke.

"You left me . . . to protect me." The statement hadn't been intended as a question, but it came out sounding like one.

Edward nodded, his hand tracing my jaw-line, his eyes pleading. "Only because I had to. Only because I thought you would be safe."

But then that meant . . .

If he left to protect me, then that meant that he didn't leave because he didn't love me anymore.

Therefore . . .

"You never stopped loving me."

He smiled then, and this time it did reach his eyes – they seemed to glimmer, almost, with the liquid-gold color that I loved so much . . .

"I never will," he whispered.

And then his lips were on mine; nothing else mattered.

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Read and Review. Then tell some more of your friends.

A big thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, making this my most successful fanfics so far 3

This chapter was the inevitable "EdwardxBella" chapter, so I know it must have been a little blah. The next one will be juicy, I promise – the whole "Bella's hallucinations and Edward's visions" thing will be discussed greatly.

-Luna x3


	5. Chapter 5

Reborn

**Reborn**

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**EDWARD**

I held Bella for a long time, the side of my face resting on the hollow base of her throat. I listened to her heart's steady beat – music that was greater than any that had ever been composed.

She didn't want to talk about anything much, it seemed, but occasionally she would ask me a question, her voice tender and wan.

"Where did you go?" she had whispered once, her breath warm on my ear.

That was one of the easier ones – "I couldn't stay with Carlisle and the others . . . I ventured off alone, not really knowing where I was going. You have no idea how insufferably difficult it was to escape you . . . your face, your eyes, your cheeks when you blush . . ." I sighed deeply, frowning at the misery that laced those memories. "It was a pathetic existence, really. Not noteworthy."

She was quiet for a moment. "It was hard for me, too," she murmured. "Harder, maybe. I guess you could say I had turned into a zombie."

I closed my eyes, losing myself to her steady, rhythmic pulse. I did not want to think of that now . . what I had done to her, how I had _hurt_ her.

When it seemed she had lapsed into slumber, I allowed my thoughts to settle on the matter of her 'hallucinations'.

I tried to think back, to one of the first visions I had ever had. The one where Bella had been in a dimly lit room, her eyes scanning a room of people, an oddly triumphant grin on her delicate face.

It clicked perfectly, of course, with Bella's hallucination of the voice she had heard in the bar, telling her to turn around – it clicked, because I had thought those very words in my mind when I had had that vision.

What did that mean? Was it merely a coincidence, or had I had some sort of telepathic connection to Bella's mind? The second didn't seem very plausible, but I wouldn't have the answer until I had a talk with Carlisle; perhaps he would know.

"Edward," she said suddenly, her voice laced with pain. I sat up instantly, my eyes examining her face. I sighed in relief when I realized she was asleep. I chuckled to myself, and how pathetic I was – I had desperately missed the way she blurted out things while she was dreaming, especially when I had recounted them to her in the morning.

I kept my arms wrapped firmly around her, pressing my lips to her hair.

"Don't," she muttered. I smiled, inhaling her intoxicating scent. How incredibly _indecent _it was of her to smell so _good_ . . . so sweet, so flowery, so _warm_! I tightened my hold, closing my eyes. I wished I could sleep with her – drifting off into peaceful slumber seemed rather inviting right now, especially while lying here next to her – but that was, of course, impossible.

I can't say how long we lay there, for I had lost all track of time. I hadn't felt so complete in so long now . . . being with her felt so perfect, so right.

When the sunlight began to touch my window, Bella stirred in my arms. I watched her carefully, waiting for her to awaken.

She opened her eyes after a moment, her dark eyes hazy at first. They cleared after a moment, and a small smile played on her lips.

"You're still here," she whispered, unable to keep a small touch of awe out of her voice. I winced slightly, but I smiled back, my hand resting on her cheek.

"I won't leave you again," I told her; I had never told a statement more true. My lips lightly brushed her forehead, and I smiled at the sudden rush of heat beneath her skin.

Her fingers were tracing the purple shadows that circled my eyes. "You're so thirsty," she murmured, frowning at me. "Haven't you hunted?"

I shrugged; _that_ part of my nature had never been so irrelevant. "I haven't in a while."

She narrowed her eyes at me in concern. "You . . . you can go. Please don't hurt yourself over me." She winced slightly at her own words; I didn't need to be able to hear her thoughts to know that she couldn't have me leave her yet.

"I can wait, love. It isn't so bad right now." And that was true. My other feelings – my stronger, human ones – were overpowering my thirst right now; it was only an inkling of thirst, really.

She studied my face, not seeming to believe me. "Isn't it . . . harder for you? To be with me like this, when you're thirsty?"

I smiled. "That won't be much of a problem anymore, Bella. It's more mind-over-matter than anything else."

Bella seemed confused, but she didn't question me any more at the moment; she seemed to have tired herself out, even though she had just awoken. Examining the weary look in her eyes, I continued. "I think Carlisle should have a look at you, though. Just to make sure everything's allright." She nodded, her eyes never leaving mine. I kissed the top of her head before standing up.

Carlisle _had_ come to visit, some time during that long night. He hadn't spoken to me – for fear of waking Bella – but he had looked at me in surprise, his thoughts hinting that we'd have a lot to speak about in the morning.

I hoped that he wouldn't mention the plans we had had for Bella the previous night. I didn't want her to know that we had been about to turn her into a monster . . .

I shuddered now, at the thought of changing her. Imagine if I had acted a moment sooner! If I hadn't waited those tender moments, watching her as I had . . . she never would have been given the chance to awaken, and would now have venom pulsing through her veins, taking her away from her true self . . . taking away her soul.

"Carlisle," I said, softly, knowing her would hear me. I kept one hand resting on Bella's cheek, knowing that any contact at all, no matter how minor, brought her comfort.

He appeared a moment later, his expression gentle with kindness. "Well," he said, his voice not completely void of bafflement. "This is certainly interesting."

Bella smiled. "Hello, Carlisle." Her voice was warm, grateful.

"It's nice to see you up and about, Bella." He laughed lightly, running his fingers through his golden hair. "I admit, you gave us quite a scare back at the hospital."

Bella nodded. "Sorry," she said, her tone apologetic – I rolled my eyes at her absurdity at apologizing for something so ridiculous – "But how did I end up here, anyway? If I had been at the hospital, I mean?"

Carlisle and I exchanged glances. I almost wished, in that moment, that he had been given my unusual gift – that he could hear my thoughts. He studied my face for a moment, thoughtful. "We thought that perhaps we had a stronger success in waking you if you were in a place that you loved, rather one that you feared."

His voice was so smooth, so doubtless. I stared at him in wonder; compared to the truth, this answer was so farfetched – and yet, hearing the words in his soft, convincing tone, I had trouble believing otherwise.

Bella nodded, smiling a little. "I do hate hospitals," she agreed. I sighed in relief, happy that she accepted the lie.

"Edward, I would like to speak with you in the other room, if that's allright." Carlisle looked at me intently, careful to keep his features calm.

I nodded, glancing down at Bella. "I'll only be right out there, love. I'll be back in a moment."

She nodded, though her dark eyes looked sad at the idea of being separated from me, even if for a moment. "Hurry back," she whispered, her hand lightly touching my own as I followed Carlisle out of the room.

"So," Carlisle's voice was thoughtful, his golden eyes curious. "What exactly happened?"

I recounted the events of the night to him, telling him about Bella's rather sudden revival.

He chuckled. "Awoken with a kiss."

I couldn't help smiling as well – for I hadn't felt so lighthearted in a long time.

"There's something I want to discuss with you, though. Something involving 'hallucinations' that Bella and I both shared . . ."

I told him what Bella had told me, about the strange voices in her head, and compared them to the visions that matched up with them. When I finished, I looked up at him, hopeful for answers.

"Hmm." He frowned, clearly perplexed. "That's certainly . . . different. I can't imagine why that would be. Perhaps you should speak to Alice about your visions, to see if they have any simi – "

He stopped short, his eyes narrowing. I looked at him in question, before catching the single unguarded thought that fluttered across his mind . . .

Before the rough pounding on the door shook the entire house, we both caught the scent that aroused our tamed nature, sending a wave of rigidity down our spines.

"Werewolf," I whispered.

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Read and Review. Sharing is caring.

Wow – I can't believe the response I've gotten so far. Thank you all for reviewing, and making my story a success so far!

Sorry to leave you hanging there, but that's what I must do. Stay tuned for chapter 6!


	6. Chapter 6

Reborn : Chapter Six

**Reborn : Chapter Six**

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**BELLA**

I was afraid to close my eyes, even for the smallest moments. I prolonged blinking. My eyes began to itch from lack of moisture.

I was afraid that if I did close them, he would be gone when I opened them again.

I slept better that night than I had in a very long time. Even in slumber, I felt his presence; his marble body conforming to mine, holding me tightly against him.

He didn't stop the nightmares from coming, though. The nightmares of a different Edward . . .

. . . one with a hard face and cold eyes, who told me he was leaving me . . .

One who didn't want me anymore.

The dream had been so vivid, so real . . . perhaps because it wasn't a dream at all.

It was a memory; a scarring, painful memory.

When I had awoken, I felt the euphoria of the previous night come rushing back to me.

Because Edward had not left.

He was here, beside me.

I didn't remember being able to feel so whole, so complete. I forgot what it was like to have my heart flutter around in my chest like that, threatening to burst from my ribcage.

I had forgotten what it was like to be with Edward, but I had not forgotten how to love him.

I knew that any separation from this point on would be painful – even miniscule the most miniscule partings, such as not sharing a class with him, or having to go to work occasionally at Newton's Sporting Goods.

I tried not to think of what it would be like for him to hunt; it hurt too much to think that he could be gone for two days at a time. It would be unbearable.

Even now, lying here alone in his room, I felt the physical pain begin to creep in . . . the familiar tightening of my chest, the gnawing, empty feeling . . . And all because he was standing only a few feet away, right outside of the room.

I sighed uncomfortably, knowing that I wouldn't feel at rest until I was in his arms again – that I would never feel comfortable anywhere else.

And so I wasn't at all surprised at the immense relief I felt when Edward came rushing back into the room, nostrils flaring, eyes furious.

And I certainly wasn't displeased when he was suddenly on top of me, crushing me protectively against his chest.

I was too overwhelmed to be worried . . . his presence brought me too much comfort to be afraid.

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**EDWARD**

I had dealt with werewolves before, of course.

Granted, it had been many, many years ago – before Alice and Jasper had found us, even. Back when we had made the treaty, declaring peace with Ephraim Black, the alpha of the Quileute pack.

While a great deal of time had passed since its birth, I did not forget one of the more . . . imperative qualities of the treaty:

The Quileute were not to set foot on our land, just as we were not allowed to set foot on theirs.

And yet one of their _dogs_ was outside our front door at this very moment, ready to rip the door off of its frame if its knock was unanswered for much longer.

Normally, a wolf wouldn't spark such a reaction in me; if they had, for some reason, snapped and broken the treaty . . . well, let's just say they would have been taken care of, and easily.

But thanks to my special abilities, I could hear the filthy animal's thoughts.

Thoughts that sparked a primitive rage inside of me. Thoughts that coerced me to run to my other half, to protect her, to shield her from harm – just as I had done not so long ago, when I had caught similar thoughts rushing through James's mind.

The dog's mind was almost difficult o read; his thoughts were clouded by a thick red haze of rage, the words sluggish with malice.

_BELLA. BELLA. BELLA._

It was as if it he were panting the words, like the filthy dog he was.

I held Bella tightly against me, prepared to run, if necessary. I did not want to start an ugly battle now – especially not in front of her, and _especially_ when she was prey. I tucked her head under my chin, my lips pressed into her hair. She seemed oblivious to my obvious concern; but then, Bella was always a little oblivious to things. I looked down at her fondly, praying that I could keep her safe.

_BELLA BELLA BELLA BELLA FIND YOU BELLA GET YOU TAKE YOU FAR AWAY FROM HERE_

I grinded my teeth together, closing my eyes tightly. I _had_ to remain in control; if I let myself loose to this rage, I might not be able to reel myself back in.

"Carlisle, _do something_," I murmured, hoping that he would hear me despite the muffling from Bella's hair.

"What's wrong?" Bella finally seemed to notice that I wasn't happy, that I was holding her perhaps too lightly against my chest. I loosened my grip a little, absently hoping that I hadn't hurt her; I constantly had to remind myself of how fragile she was.

"Nothing, love. Just . . . an unexpected visitor." I attempted kept my voice even, not wanting to scare her. Despite my efforts, I felt her shudder in fear, a small gasp escaping her lips.

"Victoria," she breathed, her voice laced with terror. The name took me off guard, given that _that_ monster was the least of my troubles right now.

"Why would you think that?" I looked down into her dark eyes, surprised at the horror that I saw in them. Her face had paled considerably, her fingers clinging tenaciously to the fabric of my shirt.

"You missed a lot when you were gone," she whispered, casting her eyes downward. I felt a new whirlwind of rage and panic rise up within me, a low snarl escaping my chest.

"She came _back_?" I spit the words out, unable to keep calm any longer. Bella nodded, her lips trembling. I brought my hand to her face, lightly caressing her cheek. "Tell me what happened, love."

"Laurent came back, looking for me. I had gone to the meadow, because . . . I thought maybe . . ." She inhaled jaggedly, shaking her head. "He had been looking for me. James had been Victoria's mate, and since you killed James, she wanted to kill me . . . 'a mate for a mate', Laurent had said . . ."

_Laurent_. My nostrils flared in rage. We had trusted him!

Wait a moment . . . Laurent? There was something familiar here . . . a sort of déjà vu. I shook my head, putting that aside for later, when we were safer.

"Hadn't he gone to Denali?" My voice was smooth again, calm; I was determined not to frighten Bella anymore than necessary.

"He had gone there for a while . . . but things didn't work out, I guess." She shuddered. "His eyes were so _evil_ . . . he was thirsty . . ."

For a fleeting moment, I absently was self conscious of my own eyes, darkened so with thirst. I quickly put that thought aside, focusing on the larger issue at hand. I cupped my hands around her face, gazing deep into her widened eyes, as if I was searching for some sign of damage. "Love . . . _Bella_, are you all right?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. You see, the werewolves killed him . . ." Her voice petered out as she caught the rigid, frozen expression on my face.

The werewolves . . .

The _werewolves_ . . .

"Bella." I held her firmly, narrowing my eyes in anger . . .

While in some deep corner of the house, the furious yell of the werewolf shook the air.

Bella grinned sheepishly up at me, realizing who our 'visitor' was.

"Crap, I forgot about Jacob," she muttered.

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Read and Review. insert something witty here

Aren't you guys lucky, getting two chapters within 24 hours of eachother!

I love the ending of this chapter – I can so see Bella doing something like that, because she's such a scatterhead, and yeah.

I am super freaking excited because Stephenie Meyer is coming to my town on the Breaking Dawn tour, on August 1st! I am going to get to meet her! How cool is that?

If you haven't heard about the tour, go to MTV's Twilight Tuesday's section.

Yeahhh.

Thank you all, once more, for reviewing and making this story successful thus far. I'm really glad you guys like it!

Chapter 7 will be up /probably/ on Saturday. If it isn't, then I'll try to get it up soon after.

If it's up before then, then it means I had a brain fart and probably cut a few hours out of my sleeping in order to write it, because I'm a partial Insomniac.

Yeah. Done rambling now.

-Luna x3


	7. Chapter 7

Reborn : Chapter Seven

**Reborn : Chapter Seven  
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**Disclaimer : Don't own Twilight, of course.**

Part of this chapter is similar to the end of New Moon, as well as one of the scenes in Eclipse. So yeah, just throwing it out there.  
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**EDWARD**

If Bella wasn't the core of my existence, I would have been tempted to kill her for her foolishness.

"Bella," I said sternly, pinching the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger. "Please do not tell me that you were with _werewolves_ while I was . . . away."

She smiled her sheepish grin again, color creeping back into her cheeks. "If I said that, then I'd be lying." She frowned at my sour expression. "But what's the big deal? They're just like normal people . . . only bigger." She paused for a moment. "And hotter." Her cheeks _really_ turned red at that one. "Temperature wise, I mean. Not like, looks-wise."

I couldn't help chuckling at her absurdity, but my amusement was short-lived. "Really, Bella. Do you have any idea how _dangerous_ they can be?" I couldn't believe how irrational she was! And after all I had done . . . I had left Forks so that she would live a _normal_ life, with _normal_ humans.

And still she had chosen the most ridiculous route imaginable: to once more flock with the supernatural.

"Yeah, dangerous." She rolled her eyes at me. "They were especially dangerous when they were _saving my life_ when Laurent tried to _kill me_." She crossed her arms over her chest, thinking she had won the argument. I opened my mouth to protest, when the dog suddenly burst through the bedroom door.

"_GET AWAY FROM HER YOU FILTHY BLOODSUCKER_!" He was seething, his rough, russet-brown skin almost red in his rage. He squinted, and I saw his body begin to shake. I chuckled as I caught the murmur of his thoughts.

"Honestly, dog, do you think I'd try to hurt her?" I held Bella more tightly against my chest, laughing as he clenched his fists in anger. "Surely Bella told you that she was more than safe when she was with me?" Lies, of course – as long as Bella was with me, she'd never _truly_ be safe. Still, it was amusing to watch the boy's reaction.

"Jake, stop! I'm fine!" Bella futilely struggled against my grip; I knew that the boy wasn't stable at the moment, and I wasn't going to risk letting Bella get near him. He was beginning to get a little blurry around the edges, and he would transform soon if we weren't careful.

"_LET GO OF HER_!" he fumed. The veins in his muscular arms grew more prominent, threatening to pop from his skin. I suppressed the urge to laugh at how absurd he looked, but instead whispered in Bella's ear, just barely loud enough for an outside party to hear – "Honestly, Bella, _this_ one?"

"Edward, stop! Don't you remember what happens when they get angry?" Shocked at her words, I loosened my grip, narrowing my eyes at her. How did she know about that? Had she experienced it before? Had he _hurt _ her? I opened my mouth to interrogate her, prepared to launch myself at the mongrel the moment that she told me he had laid a filthy paw on her.

She shrugged, seeming to guess at my confusion. "You told me that handy piece of information, once. You know, when I heard you."

_Told her_?

I struggled to think back to my visions again – to see if I remembered any nightmares pertaining to Bella and the beast. It took a moment, but eventually I pulled forth a distant memory of Bella, standing outside of her truck, arguing intensely with the male that stood before me . . .

I shook my head. Not now – later, when he was gone.

"Is he calming down?" Her voice was a whisper in my ear; she didn't want him to hear her. I glanced up at him; my befuddled silence had given him an opportunity to cool, his stance relaxing somewhat. I caught a brief drifting of his thoughts, and they had indeed settled, the thick red haze disappearing.

I nodded at her, and she sighed in relief. Realizing the danger was at a minimum, I let her go, though I still let my lips rest on her hair. "Please tell your friend that I wasn't hurting you, Bella. He seems to feel otherwise." I chuckled.

Bella rolled her eyes at me – an absurdly graceful gesture, with those warm brown eyes of hers. "You aren't very nice," she told me, though her words lacked any minute trace of authority. I smiled, playing with a strand of her hair. "Quite the contrary. If I wasn't being nice, there are a few choice words that I have for your 'Jacob', here."

She groaned, rolling her eyes again. "Jake, you okay?"

His voice came out sounding strangled. "As long as you are."

I rolled my eyes – what a stupid thing to say. Did Bella _look_ like she wasn't okay? Was I leaning over her, ready to kill her? "_Please_, dog. She's perfectly well."

"No thanks to you." His eyes glittered, hard as stone. "Or have you forgotten that its your fault she got into this mess in the first place?"

I closed my eyes, suppressing the familiar feelings of guilt as they rose inside of me. "Right, dog. And it was I who taught her this 'Cliff Diving'. It's most assuredly my fault that she jumped, then."

A low, feral growl ripped from Jacob's throat, and he clenched his fists once more. "How _dare_ you blame me? How dare you even _try_ to blame me, after what you did to her? After the state you left her in? Or do you need a reminder?"

Suddenly his thoughts were filled with images of Bella . . . Bella, broken Bella, thin and pale and sickly Bella . . . Bella, holding her chest, moaning in pain . . . Bella, face pallid with fear as she faced Laurent . . . Bella, numb and broken in the forest where I had left her . . .

Never had I felt such a level of pain tearing through my insides; not the empty feeling of missing her compared with this. The pain – the guilt! – of knowing that I had left her, had hurt her, had damaged her . . . I closed my eyes, but the images were tattooed to my eyelids, burning into my vision. Bella . . . Bella . . .

"Jake! Stop it! Stop it now!" Her voice was suddenly in my ear, and she clung tightly to my chest, her lips pressed against my cheek. "Edward," she murmured, her voice a gentle lullaby in my ear. "Edward, its okay . . ."

She did not know that it was not okay . . . that it never would be okay. I held her tightly against me, savoring her scent; I let its delicate aroma coarse through me, calming me. How could I have done that to her? How could I have been so stupid, so _foolish_, as to think that my leaving wouldn't harm her?

_It will be like I never existed_, I had told her. I had tried to wipe her clean of my being, taking away her pictures, her gifts . . . Foolishly I had thought that she would have forgotten about me. I had clung to a foolish hope, while at the same time, I had been tearing apart the very core of my being . . . saying goodbye to Bella was the hardest thing I had ever done, and yet I had done it, and I had hurt her in doing so . . .

"Bella," I murmured, knowing that if it were in any way possible, my tears would be spilling into her hair. To see Bella so vulnerable, so pale and weak . . . it brought me back to that time, not long ago, where I had found her broken, so close to death . . . .when it had been James that had been her torturer, who had broken her . . .

Was I any better than James? Had I hurt her any less than he had? _No,_ I told myself, for it was true. My departure had nearly killed Bella in a way that James's venom never would have . . .

"Did you like that, you leech? Did you like seeing your girlfriend like that?" Jacob's voice was harsh to my ears, the tone malevolent. "Do you see what you've done to her? What you reduced her to?"

Bella suddenly caught on to what had happened, and I felt her body stiffen. "Jake . . . how could you? How could you be so cruel?"

He laughed. "How could _I_ be so cruel, Bella? I'm still wondering why you're holding on to him like that, as if you belong to him! Don't you see, Bella? You can't trust a bloodsucker. He's probably got you under some kind of mind control or something . . ."

I interrupted, finding my voice from somewhere deep inside of me. "Bella is here on her own accord. She is free to leave at any time." I looked down at her when I said that, into her large, unblinking eyes.

"Never," she whispered, her hand finding its way around the back of my head. I closed my eyes again, savoring the moment, savoring her touch . . .

"Filthy bloodsucker," Jacob spat. His mind was not filled with the angry red haze, but rather a sort of cloud of hatred . . . almost like poison, drenching each and every one of his thoughts.

_He hates me because he thought he had a chance_, I realized. _He believes that if I had kept my distance for just a little longer, Bella would have gotten over me . . . would have moved on to him . . ._

I hadn't thought about it before, of course, but I actually owed a lot to this Jacob Black. He had obviously taken care of Bella in my absence . . . had brought her comfort, even. And of course, he and the rest of his pack had saved her from Laurent . . . I cleared my throat, suppressing any feelings of jealousy or scorn that I had for him. "I didn't get to say so yet, Jacob – and I know my words thus far might not prove so – but I just wanted you to know that I deeply appreciate what you've done to keep Bella alive and well," I paused, smirking slightly, "For the most part, anyway. I will owe you for a long time . . . until the day I die, or until forever . . . whichever comes first."

Jacob snarled, his hands clenching into fists again. When he spoke, his voice was heavily laced with sarcasm. "Right, bloodsucker. I'll hold that to you." He rolled his eyes in contempt.

I shrugged. "I _do_ owe you. Bella . . . needed someone to look after her while I was gone, and you fit the bill. I appreciate all that you have done for her. If there's anything I can do to repay you . . ." I caught the sudden swirl in his thoughts, and I smirked. "Other than _that_, of course."

He swore, and his muscles began to harden again. "That's going against your word, leech. If you truly owe me, then you'd give me what I want." His eyes flickered towards Bella, and then back to me again. "_Who_ I want."

"Jake . . ." Bella's voice held a warning, despite its softness. "Jacob, we discussed this."

He laughed. "Right. But we both know that things would've worked out in the end . . . that if you hadn't jumped off that stupid cliff and had waited for me like I _asked_ you to, then _he_ wouldn't be here, and you and I . . ."

Bella sighed. "Jake, I told you . . . I didn't want things to be that way between us. I told you that I had still loved him . . .that I didn't want . . ." Her voice was sad, pleading. I knew that if I looked into her eyes now, they would be filling with tears . . . not her own tears, but tears for this Jacob . . . because she was always to afraid of hurting those around her, so selfless . . .

"And if you remember, I had told you that it didn't matter . . . that you'd get over _it_ eventually." He sneered at me, his lips twisted into a smirk of contempt and hatred. "She will be mine, bloodsucker. The moment she wakes up from whatever spell she's in . . . she'll realize where her heart lies."

"Jacob, I know where my heart lies. I love Edward, and I'll never stop." Though these words were familiar to me, hearing them again sent a wave of comfort throughout my body, seeming to instill life into my forever-still heart. It was a mystery to me . . . it always had been. Why _should_ Bella love me? Especially now, after what I'd done to her.

Bella smiled up at me, seeming to read my thoughts again. "Its true," she whispered, her voice that of an angel's. "I'll never stop . . . this is forever, Edward." She rested her head on my chest, a gesture similar to one of my own.

Only Bella could not hear the rhythmic sound of my beating heart.

Jacob was suddenly staring at us, incredulously. His rage was returning, but also with another emotion . . . fear, I realized. Dread.

"Forever?" he whispered, his voice dry and raspy. _Of course_. He assumed that the word held a different meaning . . . a more literal meaning. It didn't, of course . . . not now, not that Bella was alive and well . . . "The treaty," he murmured, his eyes unfocused for a moment. "Surely Bella, you don't mean that . . . you're not really going to . . ."

Bella shook her head, her hair tickling my neck. "No, Jake. I am. Don't you realize that it can't be any other way? I love him, Jake . . . I'm not going to grow old with him. I want to be with him forever . . . by his side forever . . ." She did not seem to notice that I had frozen, a wave of rigidity passing over me. "I'm sorry," she whispered, and her voice was indeed laced with heavy apologies.

"Bella," I said, my voice uneven. "Love, what are you _talking_ about?"

She stared up at me, confused. "Me becoming a vampire, of course. What else?"

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Read and Review. (duh)

Sorry I didn't update on Saturday like I had promised to. I kept sitting down and opening the word document, and then closing it again. Wasn't in a writing mood, I guess.

But yeah, here it is.

Chapter 8 won't be up until the end of next week (unless a miracle occurs) because I have a hell-load of regents to take.

So yeah.

Oh, and happy late birthday to that girl whose birthday just passed – sorry that I didn't post the chapter on your day (which was my original plan, really!). Hope you had a good one!

Oh, and as always, a great big thanks to all of my reviewers – you guys rock.

-Luna x3


	8. Chapter 8

Reborn : Chapter Eight

**Reborn : Chapter Eight**

_Disclaimer : I don't own Twilight. Duh._

_Oh, in these chapter, I thought it necessary to use different POVs other than Bella and Edward. So in this chapter, we get a little from my favorite vampire other than Edward, Alice, and the stupid dogboy, Jacob._

_Enjoy, guys!_

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**A L I C E**

The future hadn't felt so bright in the longest of times.

Edward and Bella were finally, _finally_ together again! Despite any visions I had had of our return to Forks, I had never imagined how _wonderful_ it would feel to be here again, to have Edward happy again, to have my new best friend around once more.

I had spied on them, of course. Given, for a very brief moment – those two lovebirds definitely need their privacy.

But it had felt so right to see them lying there like that – to see Edward's spirits finally lifted, especially.

And of course, to know that Bella was alive. When I had had that vision of her jumping off the cliff and not making it . . . Well, I had been crushed. I love Bella. We all do – Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Jasper . . . Even Rose, though she sure has a hard time showing it.

And Edward . . .

It was so hard for him, I know. I didn't need his gift to tell me that. I had never seen him so . . . empty. Not even sad – sad was too pleasant a word to describe what he was going through. It was as if he had given up on living; he had gotten off of the ride, and was a statue, frozen in time, lost in space . . .

When I saw Bella dying, my first thoughts were of Edward. If she died, he would never forgive himself. He would've held himself personally responsible.

Not that he wasn't at least _partially_ responsible for that. He never should've left. I _told_ him that, time and time again, but he refused to listen.

But it was hard to think badly of Edward when he looked the way he did now – I had almost forgotten what he looked like when he smiled.

They were alone, now. Bella's werewolf friend had been around earlier, but he had stormed out. I would have to ask Bella about that later – it was almost funny, the way Bella gravitated herself towards danger like that.

I started walking back to my room, my mood light as air, when it came to me.

It was sudden, and it was painfully clear : Bella, lying in Edward's arms . . .

Only she wasn't awake. And she wasn't breathing.

I felt the ground sway beneath me, and I gripped the wall for balance. No. This wasn't right. I tried to shake the image from my mind, but it only grew clearer . . . I could almost see terribly faint pulse beating in Bella's neck, the chalk-white shade of her skin . . . Edward's cry of agony as he held her to his chest, the pain in his eyes running deep . . .

I gasped for air, despite our lack of the need to breathe, and I ran into Edward's room.

Bella looked up at me in alarm, her eyes wide in fear. "Alice, what is it?" Her voice was a little breathless, her cheeks flushed – it was obvious what she had been doing a moment ago. Edward was lying next to her again, and he shared her expression of anxiety at my hasty arrival – at once, he was in a protective stance over her, his eye searching mine.

I knew he was trying to hear my thoughts now. I debated for half a second on whether or not I should let him see . . . he was bound to over-react . . .

I saw his expression change to frustration as he struggled to get past the barriers I put up inside of my mind.

"Alice, what did you see?"

I shook my head. I didn't want Bella to know . . . not when her health was so fragile. I beckoned for Edward to follow me out of the room, and waited as he kissed Bella quickly on her forehead before pulling away and standing up to follow me.

I waited until we were safely outside of the room, with the door closed. "Tell me what plans you just made with her," I said in a rush. Edward eyed me carefully.

"I was going to take her to our meadow; we have a lot to discuss, and she's been wanting to go there very badly."

I nodded. Okay, this was something avoidable, then. If I could just get Edward to change his mind . . .

"Don't go, okay? It's not safe right now."

"And why not?" He tried once more to press into my mind, hoping to catch me off guard. He scowled when he realized I was still blocking him out.

"It's not safe right now," I repeated. Then, thinking for a moment I added "It's just wiser if you trust me. All I'm going to tell you is that something . . . bad . . . will happen to Bella if you go."

His features, which had been relatively light up until this point, immediately darkened. "What kind of 'something bad' are we discussing?" He spoke slowly and carefully, trying to keep the horror out of his voice, but I knew better.

"I don't know, Edward. Just something really bad." I pleaded with him, hoping he wouldn't question me any further, hoping that he would just change his mind . . .

He nodded slowly. "Okay. We won't go. I'll tell Bella that she should rest for a while longer."

I managed to smile. The vision was still there, of course, but that was because Bella still thought she was going. "I'll let you know how things turn out," I promised, and his face cleared up a little.

But even as he went back into his room, back to Bella . . . I still couldn't help feeling an overwhelming sense of dread pressing in around me.

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**B E L L A**

I didn't understand why Edward was so upset that I had expected him to change me.

I mean, I thought considering how close we came to losing eachother – not to mention that this wasn't the first time – that it would be a given to turn me into one of them as soon as possible.

But Edward was as pained – and just as insistent – as he was that day in Emmett's Jeep last year, when Alice had suggested it mentally.

His lack of enthusiasm made me wonder if what he said was true – if he really does love me the way he says he does. Because why wouldn't he want me to live with him forever? I thought I made it clear to him that I didn't want it any other way – that I truly loved him, and I wanted to be with him . . . for all of eternity.

I tried not to think of Jacob, who had been in a fit of rage when he left earlier. I had tried to stop him, but Edward had held me back, insisting that he needed time to be alone, to cool off.

I worried for him, though. I had never seen Jake so angry before . . .

But Edward told me not to worry, and that Jacob would be fine – especially because he wasn't going to change me.

Desperate to get out and get some fresh air – despite my former dislike of the damp, soggy atmosphere of Forks – I begged Edward to take me to his meadow. He agreed, of course . . .

Until Alice had come bursting into the room, her eyes wild with fear.

Edward refused to tell me what she had seen; he simply said that the meadow wasn't safe for us today.

I wondered if it was Victoria. Had she come back? Was she waiting for me in the meadow, just like Laurent had been? I shuddered in fear. Edward held me against him, his lips on my hair, murmuring my name softly. He was afraid too, I realized, and that frightened me. Indestructible vampires aren't supposed to be afraid of anything.

"It isn't anything, Bella," he insisted. "As long as we avoid the meadow today, we'll be fine." It was hard not to believe him – his velvet voice was even and confident, making the largest of my fears melt away.

"Can we go out, though? Please?" I didn't want to stay cooped up in here any longer – I wanted to go somewhere where we wouldn't be interrupted, where we were free to be happy together, alone . . .

Edward looked my face for a moment, and then he smiled. "That can be arranged, I suppose. I'll check with Alice, of course."

I nodded, the heavy weight in my chest lightening a little. I didn't know why I suddenly felt so claustrophobic; it was as if the walls were pressing in around me, threatening to suffocate me. I wondered if it was some kind of bad memory from the drowning experience . . .

"Alice," he murmured. "Come in, please."

I was surprised that Alice entered the room less than a second later, her eyes still anxious. She had obviously been waiting outside the room.

"Bella wants to go out," he said, smiling at me. "How does it look now?"

Alice frowned, her eyes dark. "The same, actually . . ."

This worried Edward, and I heard him curse under his breath. "Alice, what do you see, exactly? Maybe you're misinterpreting something?" I was hopeful – I really did want to go to the meadow today, though I didn't know why.

"No, I'm definitely not misinterpreting this . . ." She muttered something incoherent before flashing a smile at me. "Don't worry though, Bella, you'll be fine." She seemed to be convincing herself as much as she was convincing me.

"If I'll be fine, then why can't we go?" I pressed, desperately wanting to get some answers; if my life was in danger, I wanted to know about it. But Alice pursed her lips, her eyes scrutinizing me. "Better safe then sorry," she chimed, though without much mirth.

Edward gave her one last pleading glance, for it was plain he hadn't been able to see the vision in her mind, but she merely frowned. "You don't need details," she told him. "You just need to know that it isn't safe."

He nodded, though it was obvious that he wasn't happy.

"If the vision wasn't undone by changing our plans, then perhaps it isn't something in the immediate future," he noted, carefully studying her face for a response. After a moment, Alice sighed. "I guess so. Unless Bella hadn't dropped the idea?"

They both looked at me, and I shrugged. "Hey, I'm not one willing to drop everything to meet death in the face again, am I?"

Edward chuckled, bringing my hand to his lips. "Let's see, now. Falling in love with a vampire . . . running to go meet a vampire who was obviously going to kill you . . . jumping off cliffs . . . no Bella, you are truly one who takes a safer path in life."

We all laughed at that, and the tension in the air drastically lifted . . . although I couldn't help but notice the slight dance of fear across Alice's perfect face, despite her cheery disposition . . .

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**J A C O B**

I had never felt so out of control – not even in the early hours of the first night I had changed.

Upon leaving the bloodsuckers' home, I had exploded, my form immediately transforming into that of the giant, ferocious wolf. I had run, unable to string any conscious thoughts together, other than the reoccurring image of Bella's smile.

_They came back_. They weren't supposed to. Things had been going so great between me and Bella! She had been so close to opening up to me, to accepting me as more than just a friend. I thought back to that ancient night at the movies; the same night I had found out who I really was. I had seen the conflict in her eyes as I confessed my feelings for her, confessed my willingness not to give up on her. She had been debating on whether or not it was right, whether or not she still loved that monster . . .

How could she forgive him so easily? He had destroyed her; he had ripped her apart and left her to suffer. And yet there she was, looking at him in that way again, as if he had never even left . . .

I pushed harder, barely conscious of the sound of my paws hitting the uneven ground. Bella was _stupid_. Stupid for not waiting for me, stupid for trying to cliff dive without me . . . stupid for _taking him back_ . . .

What was I thinking? Bella wasn't stupid. She was the most wonderful person in the world.

I still remained firm on my theory – that he had some sort of mind control over her. I wouldn't put it past the Cullens – after all, it would explain why Bella wasn't afraid of them, as she should be. She was protective of them . . . she _cared_ for them! How ridiculous!

I pictured the way her hair swayed in her face when she laughed, or the way her cheeks heated with blush when she was embarrassed. She was so beautiful, so perfect . . . the bloodsucker didn't deserve her, even if she was convinced that she was in love with him. People can fall out of love. Bella had been so close to falling out of love with him . . .

No. I was lying to myself. Bella never would have fallen out of love with him. Even if she had agreed to go out with me, she still would have always been thinking about someone else . . . every time we would've kissed, she probably would've wished it was someone else she was kissing.

Though how anyone could dream of kissing a vampire, I didn't know. They were so cold, so hard, so _evil_ . . .

I felt hate pulse through my brain, like a second heartbeat. I wanted to _kill_ him; to do what I was born to do, and to rip him into shreds, until he was no longer part of existence.

I did not know where I was; I just knew I had to keep running, so that the worst of the pain wouldn't catch up with me . . .

And then I smelled it. _Vampire_.

Not just any vampire.

_Edward._

I ran, my mind void of any conscious thought, of anything sane. I could only feel the steady pulse in my mind, over and over; _Kill him. Kill him. Kill him._

Later, I would look back and recognize this place. It was where I had found Bella that one time, about to be killed by the vampire she knew as Laurent. We had killed him, of course – ripped him to shreds. Just like I was going to do to Edward.

I pushed hard and leapt, baring my teeth, a deafening growl escaping my throat. I saw Edward; saw the fear in his eyes, saw as he pushed someone aside . . .

For a second, I felt some sort of remorse shake my body; something I had seen . . .

But it was gone.

I didn't see as the second shape moved in front of the first; someone who was not Edward, pushing him aside . . .

And then, as I made contact, I saw the fearful eyes of Bella Swan, heard her start to whisper my name . . .

_Jacob, get out of there_.

Sam's voice was suddenly screaming in my head, and I blinked, confused. I had forgotten who I was.

I saw Edward, frozen in horror, his eyes fixed on the shape on the ground that was Bella . . . and then his sudden movement as he was crouched over her, murmuring her name over and over, his voice laced with a blend of pain and horror . . .

_Jacob, RUN._

And so I ran, not fully aware of what I had just done, and unable to let my mind wrap around it.

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Read and Review. And I know you're suffering, haha.

Yeahh. I got this done sooner than I would have thought. Mostly because I finished all of my major regents and I'm in a really good mood and yeah.

And would you believe that even though I haven't written chapter 9, I've already started chapter 10?

Actually, I started writing chapter 10 _before_ I started this one.

But yeah.

So chapter 9 will be up in like another week or so. Or maybe less.

Oh yeah, guys, check out this _awesome_ CD that was recently released, called "Twilight Hour", by the Mitch Hansen Band. It's a whole album with songs that are written specifically for Twilight! How awesome!

Okay, done rambling. Thanks, as always, to all of my faithful reviewers – love you guys!

-Luna x3


	9. Chapter 9

Reborn : Chapter 9

**Reborn : Chapter 9**

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**E D W A R D**

Time froze.

It was literally as if existence had frozen over. Everything was moving in a graceless sort of slow motion; the wind ruffling through her hair, the blind panic on her face as her body crumpled, the swift movement of the wolf as he turned to stare me in the face before disappearing.

That was the only thing that happened in normal time; that wolf tore out of the meadow, soaring at a speed that was not unlike a vampire's run.

I had no time to think; no time to process any form of literate thought. I simply kneeled to the grass, automatically lifting Bella into my arms. I struggled internally as the smell of her blood greeted me, like an old friend, or a forgotten lover. I managed to avert my eyes from the crimson flow, focusing only on Bella's delicate, fragile face.

Her eyes were open for a moment. She searched my own face, obviously lost and confused, her fingers weakly trying to clutch the fabric of my shirt. I saw her inhale, wincing in pain, her expression tightening into one of deep agony. Her pain was my pain; as if we both had been inflicted with the same wounds, I felt a terrible surge of pain rush through my body, unbearable and intolerable.

"Edward," she whispered, her dark eyes shining. I murmured her name, kissing her lightly on the lips as her eyes fluttered closed, my heart flooding with the hurt that was hers.

And then we were running.

I had never run this fast before; I had never even attempted such an impossible speed. I ran so fast that the world was not even the usual blur of trees around me; it was a solid gray, an irrelevant, impenetrable outside occurrence. I kept my eyes on her face, on her chest . . . I watched for each intake of breath, making sure that they had not yet ceased.

Part of me knew that this should be harder; I had not hunted in an intolerable amount of time, and yet the intoxicating scent of her blood was a mere inconvenience, rather than what I was used to it being – a shackle, a temptress of the evil monster that I was.

I arrived at the house in a matter of seconds, holding Bella tightly against me, listening carefully for each breath, each miniscule sign that she was still alive.

Alice was waiting for me.

_I told you not to go. _Her thoughts were sluggish with solemnity, her disposition somber. I had never seen her in such distress; her eyes were deadened, her movements heavy and weighted rather than the graceful, light feat that they usually were. _Carlisle is waiting for you._

I nodded, unable to speak.

In another moment, I was inside, trying to ignore the circle of identically grave faces that surrounded me. I did not want to see their sadness, their pity. I focused only on Bella, on getting her somewhere safe, on healing her. I suddenly remembered the spill of her blood – and in a moment of panic I tightened my hold on her, looking up – searching for Jasper, making sure he wasn't near . . .

He wasn't. I caught Alice's thoughts – she had told him what happened, and he had left; he would not have been able to handle this.

I made a mental note to thank him later.

Carlisle followed me up the stairs, back into my room, where I rested her gently on the thick gold carpeting, as the couch would not have given Carlisle enough room to work with. I tried to avert my eyes from the large wound in her abdomen, from the way her blood soaked through her t-shirt . . .

I hadn't realized, until that moment, that my own shirt was soaked with her blood. I hadn't even felt it.

I kneeled down beside her, holding her face in my hands, trying to suppress the swirl of rage and sorrow that was rising inside of me. Carlisle was examining her now; much to my horror, the thoughts in his mind confirmed what I had been thinking. I rested the side of my face at the hollow base of her throat as I had done so many times before, and I closed my eyes – listening for her weakened heartbeat. My touch did not excite her now; not when she was barely alive. I felt a lurch of pain as I listened to the faint pulse, the shallow breaths . . .

"This is it, Edward. She won't awaken this time." Carlisle's voice was solemn, far from the calm, soothing sound it usually was. "You have very little time; we'll need to act now, before it is too late."

I inhaled deeply, once more smelling the enthralling scent that was her blood, and once more not being drawn in by its magnetic pull. I picked my head up and nodded slowly.

"I'm not sure if morphine will help her. I can start a drip, now, but I suggest you act immediately after that. Are you ready?"

I looked into his golden eyes – so kind, so gentle, so well fed – and I nodded.

I watched in silence as he hooked up Bella's IV – which had still been in my room from when I had been about to make the change, earlier. His hands worked quickly, and I knew he would be done within moments.

My old worries started to come back to haunt me. I knew Bella would still be Bella when she changed . . . although a selfish part of me knew that she would never smell quite the same, quite so fragrant – like freesia, I recalled telling her once.

But would Bella be okay with her new life? Would she be able to deal with the thirst, the bloodlust? I imagined her eyes – no longer would they be the insightful, dark beacons that they were, but rather a deep and shining crimson . . . as if her sole being was dependent on blood, on feeding . . .

We were going to discuss it, in the meadow. The very meadow Alice had warned us not to go to . . .

And we had ignored the warning. We had bet against Alice.

Would she forgive me, if this was not the life she would have wanted? As much as she insisted that it was, that she was ready to embrace this horrific life style? I had not had the chance to discuss it with her . . . to tell her how young she was, to remind her of how much she hadn't yet done . . .

No. I let the worries slip away, into some deep, distant part of my mind. I would not let Bella die; I couldn't.

I could not sit here, helpless, watching as her breathing halted, listening to her heartbeat – which now was a deafening sound in my own ears as if it were my own, I was so attuned to her – and doing nothing as I heard it eventually stop.

The right thing to do – the moral thing to do – would be to let her go. To let her soul stay pure, to let her go to heaven, where all good souls should go.

But I was selfish.

"She's ready, Edward."

Carlisle stood up, and put a gentle hand on my shoulder. He did not speak; he did not need to.

He left the room in silence, giving me privacy. There was dark humor in this, deep irony – only yesterday, he had done the very same, and Bella had woken only moments later.

"'Awoken with a kiss'," I muttered to myself; the words Carlisle had said, with a smile, as I had recounted the night's events to him.

I leaned down, kissing Bella gently on her lips. They were still slightly warm, but they did not heat up the way they had done the night before.

I gently held her right hand in my own, examining the scar James had given her. There was no reason for her to have two scars, was there?

"I love you, Bella," I whispered, hoping that she could somehow hear me, that she could somehow know that I was here with her – that I would always be there with her. "I love you, and I will love you forever – _our_ forever. And I hope that one day, whenever that day is, you will be able to forgive me."

She did not rouse.

I examined her form once more before bringing her hand to my lips and slowly sinking my teeth into her flesh.

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Read and Review, and I'll love you.

Well, this was done way ahead of schedule. Guess I have way too much free time on my hands.

Although this chapter was like, seriously short. Compared to the last one, at least.

I know this was a good chapter though – no false modesty here. I think its actually one of my favorites. And the next one is the one that everyone's been waiting for – Bella the vampire.

Thanks, as always, for your support. Love you guys! If you have any suggestions or anything, I'm up for it. I pretty much know what Bella's power is, but yeah. Also, I've never said anything before, but if you guys ever have any comments or suggestions or anything, please feel free to put them in your review.

Yeahhh.

Chapter 10 should be up this weekend. If not, then sometime next week – if work isn't too overwhelming, as my summer-job starts next week.

-Luna x3


	10. Chapter 10

Reborn : Chapter 10

**Reborn : Chapter 10**

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**B E L L A**

I had been comfortably numb when the pain began.

I had been floating again – floating, separated once again from the rest of the world, separated from life itself. It was dark again . . . it seemed I was always lost in the darkness, these days. Only this time I wasn't so lost . . . there was a light there, bright and shining and warm. It wasn't a terrible distance away. I could reach it if I tried to . . .

And then, from far away, it was as if an unseen match had been lit. The embers cascaded across my hand, quickly traveling up my arms, circulating throughout my entire body; the numbness was gone, replaced by the prick of a thousand knives, stabbing me relentlessly. The fire continued, raging, burning . . .

There was fire in my throat now – a different kind of fire, a dry, scratchy sort of one. And noise. Loud and sharp, piercing my ears.

Oh. I was screaming.

My memories came flooding back to me, a rush of sound and color. I was suddenly painfully reminded of a strikingly similar event – James, the pain raking my body . . . the bite on my hand . . .

Wait. I was confused. Was I back in the mirror room?

I tried to settle my thoughts, to make some sense of what was going on, but it was near impossible. The pain . . . it felt as if my skin were red-hot, blazing.

No. This was something different. James was then, and this – though I did not know what _this_ was – was now. A different time, a different place . . .

A distant corner of my mind was happy; it somehow, sanely, realized what this pain meant. It realized what I was becoming.

But a larger part of my mind – as foggy as that part was – understood that it was not necessarily a good thing.

Something must have gone horribly wrong . . . though I did not know what. I struggled against the pain, struggled to think, to understand . . . but it was as if the burning had reached my mind, blurring my thoughts, melting away any consciousness I had . . .

The pain seemed to last an eternity, and I ached for it to stop, for the numbness to return. The flames had completed the circuit, and I could feel them from everywhere from the line of my scalp to the tips of my toes. I felt my body heave and shudder, and then I was shaking uncontrollably, as if I were freezing to death rather than burning alive.

Somewhere in the pain, in the darkness, I felt a pair of cold hands grab mine. The fire in my palms subsided for a moment, replaced by a different sort of electricity.

The kind that reminded me of a feeling I had had, once. A sensation I had first experienced in one of my first days at Fork's High School, when a certain lab partner's hand had accidentally had touched mine . . .

The pain continued, but with the gentle hands holding mine, and the soothing sound of my name in my ear – spoken by a familiar, perfect, velvet voice – I knew that everything was going to be okay.

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**E D W A R D**

It was painful to watch her, those first few hours. She had been still at first; dazed, almost, as if the pain confused her.

But after a few moments, the screaming had began. To my oversensitive hearing, the sound was lethal . . . especially because it was _her_ voice, _her _pain.

I saw her writhe and twitch in pain, beads of sweat breaking out on her too-pale forehead. I could smell the change in her scent as the venom began mixing with her blood . . . a scent which was most peculiar.

I felt the overwhelming guilt wash over me. I felt helpless, powerless . . . and of course, at extreme fault. It was hard to grasp the idea of what she was becoming . . . of what she was losing . . .

The scent of the blood that stained my carpet reminded me that my options had been minimal.

Bella, naturally, had thought that eternal damnation would suit her. That – rather than live out a full life and experience the wonders of being a human – she'd prefer to burn away her soul, to become a creature of endless thirst, endless desire . . .

My fault, again. If I had not been the deplorable beast that I was, she would not want to join me in this fate.

I could not sit still and watch her as she suffered; I could not do nothing. In sudden inspiration, I reached for her hands, enjoying the last of the subtle emanations of warmth. I struggled not to think about how much I would miss this. I recalled the day in the meadow, our first true time alone together. I had pressed her hand to my face; the sensation had almost made me feel human. I remembered the wonderment I had felt; my skin, usually icy and cold, had been almost _warm_.

I sighed at the memory. I ached with nostalgia; Bella would never be that way again. She would never blush, nor would her dark eyes fill with tears whenever she grew angry.

I shuddered for a moment. Her eyes wouldn't be the thoughtful, chocolate-brown that they were now. The next time she opened her eyes, they would be crimson. I had forgotten . . .

I looked down suddenly; Bella had responded to my touch, her own fingers intertwining gratefully with my own. I felt solace that I could at least provide her with some sort of comfort. Her screams subsided, but a sort of strangled sound was audible in her throat. "Bella," I murmured, hoping to soothe her. "Hang in there, love."

She did not respond verbally, of course, but her fingers tightened around mine, a tight and strangled sigh escaping her lips.

I sighed. The worst was not over yet, I knew. While the venom had already made a tight course throughout her body, the crucial changes had not yet begun. I watched uncomfortably as her face contorted in pain, her hands trembling in my grip.

It would be a long three days, I knew. But I swore to myself to stay by her side, every second, every minute. I would not leave her alone.

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**A L I C E**

I watched my visions carefully, waiting for the moment when Bella would awaken, reborn.

Edward was amazing. I had never seen such determination, such willpower. I knew how thirsty he was – and how much that thirst was intensified when he was so near Bella, especially when she was bleeding.

I remembered that sad night, nearly five months ago, at Bella's birthday party. I remembered how the relatively short gash on her arm had been enough to clear the room, enough for Edward to struggle with an internal pain that he refused to let anyone see.

I knew better, of course. Edward and I had grown close in the many, many years we had lived together. I could recognize the strain in his features when he was trying to maintain self control – and was losing the battle.

He was incredibly thirsty. He hadn't fed in an awfully long time; perhaps not for a month, judging by the deep obsidian of his eyes. We never let our thirst get to such a point – we fed whenever our eyes lost their unusual golden hue – and Edward was risking a lot by letting it get to this point.

I did not know how he had managed to bite Bella, to simply inject his venom without draining her of her blood. It must have taken a self control that I knew I couldn't come close to mustering. The taste of Bella's blood – so much more tempting to Edward than the rest of us – would have had any other vampire's remaining essence of human nature ebbed out, the monstrous nature within overpowering any conscious.

But not Edward.

Suddenly, in my mind's eye I saw a pair of very familiar eyes opening. The vision I had been waiting for.

I rushed to Edward's room, seating myself onto his black leather couch. His eyes briefly met mine, but quickly dropped down to Bella's face, watching her carefully, intensely.

"It's time," I murmured, though I already knew he had caught the vision in my mind. I sat still for a moment, watching them, and then with a jolt of inspiration, I quickly stood up and left the room.

They would be needing their privacy.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

**E D W A R D**

I studied Bella carefully as she began to rouse, my hand resting gently on her cheek. I felt an odd feeling in the pit of my stomach as her lips parted, her eyelids slowly beginning to lift.

"Bella," I murmured, careful to keep the unease out of my voice. "Can you hear me, love?"

"Edward," she whispered. Her voice was low, but not low enough for me to hear the own fear that crept into her voice. I pressed my lips to her forehead, still holding her close. I did not want her to be afraid; I did not want her to experience any sort of discomfort, especially at my expense.

Slowly her eyes opened, and I pulled back, very slightly. I stared at her, wordlessly for a few moments.

I had expected to see crimson irises – and had feared it. The thought of the warm chocolate color being turned into something so monstrous had appalled me.

But Bella's eyes were not crimson. They were not scarlet, or red, or even anything close to that.

Instead, they were black. The same color that – when they were thirsty – the rest of my unusual family shared.

"Edward," she said again, her voice stronger this time. I could not help but notice that it sounded a little richer – slightly smoother, while also slightly more pleasant; although, Bella's voice had always been a sound of music for me. "What happened?"

I stared into her obsidian eyes, confused and amazed all at the same time.

"It's a long story, love."

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Read and Review. As always, a big thanks to everyone who has reviewed.

Yes, we will get to see Bella the amazing vampire in the next chapter. And if things go well, it will be up by to mid-week.

If things go poorly, then you'll have to wait until the weekend.

There may be a lot of spelling/grammar mistakes in this one. I didn't read it over like I usually do. Just letting you know.

-Lx3


	11. Chapter 11

Reborn : C11

**Reborn : C11**

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**B E L L A**

**  
**Waking up was a unique sensation, all in its own.

It felt sort of cleansing; it was as if I had awoken from a very deep sleep, ready to start my day fresh and revitalized.

Only this wasn't a day that I was simply beginning anew . . . this was forever.

I allowed my eyes to stay closed for a few moments, not yet ready to see what would be waiting for me when I would open them. I felt so odd, so _changed_. My chest felt strangely empty, and yet strangely full . . . My pulse, which I had been normally so aware of, had gone completely, making me feel hollow . . .

There was a new feeling, too, sort of making-do with the hollowness . . . a surging power, a building-up of strength, swirling tightly within my veins.

I opened my eyes slowly, my newly improved eyesight taking in everything around me. Taking in, especially, the form that was beside me . . .

I gazed up into Edward's eyes, very aware of his presence; he was positioned very close to me, his face only an inch from mine. I absorbed every detail, every feature . . .

"Bella," he whispered, his hand stroking the line of my jaw. I was immediately surprised, but not displeased; his skin was no longer hard and icy, but rather soft while still firm, and pleasantly neutral in temperature. It was the way that someone's hand should feel.

"How are you feeling?" His tone was polite, but deeply weighted with an array of emotions; I could only guess what they were.

"Okay, I guess. Different." An understatement, naturally. He studied me, searching my face, searching for some deeper meaning. "Confused, though."

A small smile formed at his lips, but it did not reach his eyes. "Naturally." He sighed, his breath flowering onto my face . . . I closed my eyes as my intensified senses breathed it in. Surely it was impossible for someone to smell so amazing, so _full_ . . .

This reminded me. I opened my eyes again, hesitating. Was there any safe way to ask this? I struggled to find the right words – ones that wouldn't be awkward, or upsetting – and was briefly relieved of my stress when he chuckled.

"You must be thinking very hard about something," he noted, his voice less antagonized now. "Although, of course, I still cannot know _what_ you are thinking . . ."

The questions that had been most foremost in my mind were set aside, replaced by a new round of curiosities. "My power . . ."

He chuckled again. "Well, you won't know what it is right away, of course." He spoke in a rush, but I was able to catch every word with near perfection. "If it was a power like my own, or like Alice's . . . you would have already known about it. I am assuming it is something more subtle, something different . . ."

He frowned then, his hands suddenly on either side of my jaw. His eyes were intense, hard. "I am so sorry, Bella . . ." His voice was heavily laced with formidable grief.

I blinked. "What for?"

He sighed, his eyes filling with unbearable sadness. "For _damning_ you. For taking away your soul, your essence . . ." He rested his head on my chest, now, though he was no longer listening for my heartbeat. "For turning you into one of me." His voice was a solemn whisper.

I laughed now, though the sound was humorless. "You're kidding, right?"

He turned his head to look at me, his eyes wide with surprise. "Kidding? I've never been more serious, Bella . . . you don't have even the faintest idea – "

I cut him off. "Oh, because it isn't like I asked for this. It's not like I _wanted_ to become a vampire . . . to spend eternity with you. No, I didn't want that at _all._"

He sat up now, his eyes hard again. "You didn't know what you wanted. You're young, stubborn . . . you might have changed your mind."

I was angry, now. "I never would have changed my mind, Edward. I was fully aware of what I wanted . . . of what it would cost."

Suddenly I was confused, a dizzy feeling pressing into my head. I tried to think back, to think of what had happened before the pain, before the change had begun . . .

"Edward," I said, my voice suddenly weak. "What happened? How _did_ I get like this?" Obviously he hadn't changed me willingly, and something stuck out in the back of my mind . . . a great pain, darkness . . .

He studied my expression, his hands finding their way into mine. "You have no recollection?"

I shook my head, almost frantically afraid at the idea of that.

He sighed. "Your friend, the _dog,_" He frowned as I winced, and then continued. "We were in our meadow, and he saw us there . . . he had already phased by then, of course – I had warned you that that was going to happen. I couldn't hear his thoughts . . . I'm guessing that that was because he was too far gone, too built up with rage to actually have any human thought by that point. He lunged at me, and you, foolish as you are, tried to stop him."

His eyes grew distant then, sad. "If you hadn't been trying to save me . . ."

I interrupted. "He hurt me, didn't he?" My voice was barely audible now, a dry whisper. It was impossible to believe, though I knew that Edward was telling the truth. The memory was faint, but it was there . . . it had all happened so quickly. The last conscious, human thought I remembered was the russet wolf, briefly blocking the sun, teeth bared . . .

Edward's lips were on my forehead then. "I know that he didn't mean to, Bella. He had meant to hurt me, not you. As much as I may loathe him, I know that he does care about you."

I shook my head, knowing that if I were able to, I would be crying – I could almost feel the phantom itching at my eyes, the hard lump in my throat. "No. He tried to kill you, Edward, and that's just as bad as trying to kill me personally."

Edward sighed. "Still so absurd, still so _irrational_." He smiled, though, despite the torment I was causing him. "I'll be polite and thank you, though. You're foolishly brave and noble, but I love you for it."

I smiled back, a new kind of happiness dawning within me. "You do realize that this is it, right? That we're finally safe, finally free . . ."

He couldn't resist grinning at that, his eyes glowing. "As long as you're happy, Bella, I'm happy. And of course, it is much easier, now . . ." His nose skimmed my collarbone, his lips finding their way to the base of my throat. I did not feel the familiar heat rise up beneath my skin, naturally, but a new sort of electricity was brewing, instead . . .

The question that I was afraid to ask finally tumbled from my lips. "Am I still appealing to you, then? In that way? Even though I don't smell the same, anymore?" I cringed slightly, embarrassed by the bluntness of my words. Nevertheless, he chuckled.

"You still smell wonderful, of course – just safer. I no longer have the urge to kill you," He laughed, the sound round and buoyant. "But I have told you before, Bella – I may not be human, but I am a man. In every sense, you are just as appealing as you were before . . . if not more so, because I no longer have to inhibit the feelings I have for you."

As if proving his case, his lips were suddenly on mine, passionate and firm. He had never been so free before, so unrestrained . . . I felt the new, unfamiliar buzzing rush through me as my fingers knotted in his hair, my lips parting slightly . . .

I half expected him to pull away, as we had so many times before.

I was pleasantly wrong.

His tongue glided along my lips, smooth and as perfect as glass. His hands were more urgent, now, riding up and down my back. I pressed myself harder against him, the buzzing more intense, little gasps escaping my lips . . .

I felt a surge of something like pain run through me as he pulled away, his eyes apologetic. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice more than a little breathless. "But Alice is on her way up here, and I thought you'd like to have a little more privacy than that."

I nodded, trying to regain a normal breathing rhythm.

Sure enough, Alice politely burst into the room a moment later, her eyes wild with excitement. "Hi, Bella!" Her soprano voice was full of cheer, matching the shockingly bright smile that played on her angelic face.

I smiled, pleased that my breathing had returned to normal. "Hi, Alice."

She bounded over, gracefully plopped down on the carpet beside me, and studied me carefully. "Nice beauty rest, you had there." She laughed, winking at Edward, her eyes twinkling. Then her tone become more somber, more serious. "We're all so glad you're okay," she said sincerely, reaching for my hand.

And then Edward froze beside me.

I quickly turned to look at him, afraid of the sudden rigidity that passed over his features. He narrowed his eyes at me, but more in confusion than in anger.

"Alice, let go of Bella's hand." His voice was unnaturally even, calm. She obeyed, a look of utmost bewilderment playing across her angelic features.

"Take it again," he commanded after a moment, his voice still unnaturally composed. I knew better, of course – something big was brewing underneath.

We all sat in silence while we watched him close his eyes, his lips pulled into a tight frown. Finally, he smiled, his eyes snapping open. "I think we've discovered what your power is, Bella."

-

"Ready?" Alice's voice was light and full of laughter as I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, my eyes tightly closed.

"No," I sighed. What if I hadn't changed? What if, next to Edward's god-like beauty, I still looked the same – pathetically average? Ugh.

"C'mon, Bella. You can't possibly be vain enough to worry about something so trivial." Her voice was mockingly disappointed, and I could almost imagine the way her thin black eyebrows would be knitted, her lips pushed into an exaggerated pout.

"Fine. _Fine_." I opened my eyes, bracing myself, before turning to look at my reflection.

My skin had not paled drastically, for it had already been quite pale to begin with. It seemed harder, though, somehow . . . firmer. My hair was still brown, of course, but somehow richer, glossier . . . it tumbled down my back in the way it only had when I had worked extra hard on it.

The softness that my body had seemed to always carry had hardened out, putting more emphasis on my slender figure; my shape was more well-defined, more pronounced. The same went for my face; stronger jaw-line, pronounced curving of the cheekbones . . .

It was almost startling not to see myself blush, for when I was human and had looked in the mirror, even to do the most trivial things – brushing my teeth, even – I had always gained a little color in my cheeks out of embarrassment.

But the most startling thing of all was my eyes. Naturally, they were framed with a set of long, dark eyelashes – if I was not mistaken, all of the Cullens had this feature – and were circled with the familiar purple bruises . . .

But the irises . . .

"Alice," I said, slowly. "Aren't my eyes . . . supposed to be . . . red?"

Alice giggled, her own golden eyes flashing with mischief. "That they are."

"Then why . . ." My voice trailed off as I studied my deep black irises . . . so similar to the way Edward's had looked only moments ago . . .

"Tell me, Bella. Are you thirsty?"

I froze. How could I have forgotten . . . ?

I had expected the thirst; waited for it, even. I had expected the challenge, and was ready to fight it . . . ready to prove that I would be okay.

But as I tried now to detect it, I felt it very hard to do so. It was _there_; I felt it, a deep, primal hunger that lurked within me, contributing to some of the emptiness I felt in my chest . . . but it was not the maddening, sickening feeling that I had expected . . .

Alice smirked. "You're special, Bella. Your eyes are black because your body seems to have a natural handle on the thirst . . . and to be more exact, a thirst that only will pertain to _animals_ . . ."

I blinked in confusion. "What . . ."

She laughed, but then her expression grew serious. "Do you remember James's eyes when he had you in the mirror room?"

I felt a familiar shudder rake through me. "Yes," I whispered.

"Do you remember what color his eyes were?"

Of course – how could I forget? They had been a disturbing, deep burgundy . . . almost like the shade of dried, blackened blood. The thought disgusted me.

"That was because James was thirsting for _human_ – mainly, you. But we Cullens, who feed only on animal, do not have that red tint to our eyes when we are thirsty. Therefore, we can only assume that your body – maybe even more so because of the strong aversion to blood you had as a human – has somehow naturally made you one of us – an animal blood drinker."

She frowned for a moment. "I'm not sure that this won't change once you come in contact with actual humans, though. We'll have to be careful. But I'm pretty sure you'll be okay."

I smiled, suddenly absurdly happy. "That's great, then! I won't have to be away from everyone, then – things can be normal!"

Alice smiled. "Probably so – as long as we test you out first."

Ugh. When put that way, it made me sound like I was some sort of experiment, or a test car.

But that didn't matter – not when everything was going to be perfect. I would even get to see Charlie again, soon.

"Now, missy, I think the others would like to have a word with you in the other room, concerning a few things . . . mainly, your new _power_. I know Edward's eager to try it out again."

The word felt uncomfortable, as did the idea . . . but I shrugged, smiling a little.

"Okay, Alice. Let's go."

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Read and Review-

All of you who have reviewed – I love you all D

Next chapter should be up by next weekend. Updates will be a bit slower because I don't have a lot of time to write during the week anymore.

Oh, and again, I didn't exactly do a read-over, and I kind of wrote this very quickly at a very late hour, so excuse it if it's a little off in tiny places – Haha.

Hope you enjoy!


	12. Chapter 12

Reborn C12

**Reborn C12**

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**E D W A R D **

I was surprised at the ease of things; the simple flow of continuity, lacking any sort of rough spots, void of the remotest trace of difficulty.

Bella was accepting of what she was, now; almost _too_ accepting. It was as if the shock had not yet fully hit her; as if she believed she were dreaming, or perhaps hallucinating. Bella often did have vivid nightmares, after all; why shouldn't she think that this was just another? That she would awaken and find me next to her in her bed as I had watched her sleep, ready to comfort her?

The smoothness of it all disturbed me; it made me apprehensive, wary. I recalled the day when Bella had first visited my home, had met my family. I had been so fearful that day, so cautious; I had worried that one piece of information would be too much. That she would learn something, see something . . . that she would look upon me with actual _fear_, that she would run away, never come back . . .

The same sort of dread filled me now as I stood, watching her. She seemed happy, mostly; content. She claimed that this was what she had wanted; that she had been willing, even _eager_ to shed her mortality – to join me in my eternal existence.

As much as I loved her, I could not help but bitterly think her a fool. It was a fleeting thought, of course; Bella was not a fool, not in any right.

But how could she want this? How could she know that she wouldn't grow bored of this life . . . That she wouldn't regret her former desire to make the change, that she wouldn't grow tired of _me_?

Bella was staring at me, suddenly, her dark eyes wide and thoughtful. To me, she had always been beautiful, but now . . . I was forcibly reminded of the way Alice had prepared Bella for the prom last year. She was not a changed person, exactly, but rather more _refined_. The lushness of her hair, the softness of her skin, the gentle curves of her figure . . .

In simpler words, her beauty was more centered, more focused; it was no longer only in my eye that she would be so very much desirable, now. It was as if the Bella in my heart, of my vision, would now be shared with the world – appreciated for the stunning creature that she truly was, both inside and out.

Thinking this, I could not help but feel a bit of sorrow, the urge to shield her from the rest of the world. The familiar pang of jealously startled me, but I did understand it.

I did not want to share Bella with the world. I did not want to have to shield her from the stares of other men . . . Men who wanted her, who craved her raw beauty. Of course, she was strong, now . . . she would not need my protection, like she had that day in Port Angeles.

But the overwhelming urge to wrap my arms around her, to shield her, still remained.

"Edward," Her voice was gentle, airy. She walked slowly over to me, hesitant at first, her lips parted slightly.

And then I could no longer contain the human emotions that rose up inside of me, despite the fact that neither of us were human, now. My arms were suddenly around her, pulling her tightly against my chest. I lifted one of my hands, softly stroking the curve of her cheekbone, before gently cupping her chin in my hands and pressing my lips to hers.

It was such a relief – such a liberation! – to be able to hold her this way, without having to worry about the faint thirst that burned in the back of my throat. It was no longer about holding back, about hesitation; it was now purely about us, about what we could now do, _together_.

It was odd not to feel the blood rush to her skin, to hear the amusing thump of her heart against her ribs. It was even sort of peculiar to not have the heady scent of her blood filling all of the air and empty space between us – it had always added an extra sort of tremor to the attraction between our bodies.

But somehow, it didn't matter. Being with her, being _free_ . . . An entirely new tremor was now present, alive and burning beneath my skin. I held her even closer against me as the intensity grew, our movements more fervent now.

And then I heard Carlisle's voice in the back of my mind, polite and slightly embarrassed: _We are ready for you now. Please join us at the table, when you can_.

I sighed, reluctantly pulling away, though I did nothing to loosen our embrace. She was breathing very hard; though it was impossible, I could almost see the ghost of a blush burning on her cheeks, her eyes glassy as she stared deeply into my own.

"Our company is required," I said jovially, pressing my lips once to her forehead before altering the position of my body. My arm was still wrapped tightly around her, but I was now beside her rather than in front of her.

We walked slowly together, silently, each reflecting deeply on our thoughts. Though I could not hear her, I was almost positive that I knew her thoughts; from the way things were now, from the seamless way we seemed to gaze at eachother, it was not hard to imagine that they were far off from my own; we were one being now, one entity. Nothing would ever come between us.

**B E L L A**

We entered the dining room casually, and I was immediately embarrassed. Everyone was waiting for us, expectantly; Esme beaming in a motherly way, and the others flashing blindingly white grins; even Rosalie wore a timid smile. Carlisle stood up, his arms wide in welcome.

"Hello, Bella. I trust you are feeling well?"

I nodded, suddenly shy. "Yes, thank you."

Carlisle nodded. "Have a seat, then." He gestured warmly towards the two remaining chairs, and we sat down quickly, almost moving in a singular, fluid motion.

"Well," Carlisle chuckled, his eyes meeting mine. "We have a lot to discuss, it would seem."

I nodded again, looking away. I wasn't sure _why_ I was suddenly feeling so bashful; I was only grateful that blushing would no longer give me away.

"Yes," Edward agreed, his hand intertwined tightly with mine. "Where should we begin?"

I mustered up some courage. "Did Alice tell you her theory about my eyes?"

Carlisle nodded. "Yes, and I must say that although it is certainly perplexing, it does seem probable." He was gazing into my eyes now, and I was embarrassed again, fighting hard to keep my eyes level; they longed to drift to the floor, to examine the tiles beneath my feet . . .

"Of course, we'll have to study this further, once you've been out hunting. And," His eyes were suddenly filled with a subtle hint of pity, "I think it is best if you stay away from humans – at least for a couple of days. Until we prove the theory entirely correct – and thoroughly test your limits – it would be wise for you to not risk hurting anyone."

I nodded calmly, my mind slightly detached. Alice had already convinced me that it would be safe; naturally Carlisle would want to take extra precautions.

It hit me again, then, and I struggled to hide it from my face; I was a vampire now. Immortal. _Inhuman_. I could not stop the trickle of fear that swelled inside of me, mixing with my other emotions. I let the feeling subside, hoping Edward hadn't noticed, hadn't seen . . .

He hadn't. He was gazing intently at Carlisle, and I knew that he was listening to something that the rest of us couldn't here.

It wasn't that I was horrified at the idea of being one of them; my feelings were completely the opposite. I was happy; thrilled, even. I hadn't been lying when I said that I had wanted to spend the rest of my existence with Edward. That, although I would be giving up a great deal, I was gaining so much more in the end.

It was just the weight of the word; the depth of the meaning. It was hard to think of myself as a non-human now.

It was even harder to imagine that I, the weak, clumsy girl that I was . . . had been . . . would be able to pose a threat to _anyone_.

"Bella?" Edward's voice was suddenly in my ear.

I looked up, unaware that I had been so deep in thought. "Sorry. Yeah?"

"I'd like to test your power out, again. If you don't mind." His voice was anxious, eager. I was happy to know that, though I was a vampire, he still had the same affect on me; he had turned the full force of his smoldering eyes on me, making it impossible for me to say no. "No, not at all."

"Excellent." Alice rose from her chair, prancing over to stand next to me. "I'm ready when you are."

I smiled at her liveliness before rising up out of my chair. "What do I do, exactly?"

Edward shrugged. "Just do what you did before . . . touch her hand."

Alice eagerly held out her palm, and I lightly rested my fingertips on it, immediately turning my head to watch Edward's face.

His eyes were closed again, his mouth tight in concentration. After a moment, he opened them.

"Same thing as before . . . I can't hear Alice's thoughts – not even in the slightest."

Carlisle smiled, his warm eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Interesting. Bella, if you don't mind . . ."

I blinked stupidly for a minute, and then I laughed, nervously. "Oh, right. Of course."

I rested my fingers on Carlisle's hand, now, waiting for Edward's response. He shook his head quickly, smiling. "Nothing," he said, his voice a mixture of frustration and awe.

"I wonder . . . Bella, have you tried to do this voluntarily?"

I stared at Carlisle in confusion. "Um. Not really. How would I do that?"

"Try looking at me, without touching me, and seeing if you can make it happen."

"I don't even know _what_ I'm doing!" I was frustrated, now.

"Try, Bella?" Edward, of course. I sighed, focusing my gaze on Carlisle. I felt sort of stupid, staring at him, waiting for something to happen.

Edward sighed. "Focus, Bella."

I sighed, narrowing my eyes a little. Focus? Okay. I tried to imagine whatever it was I had done before, making it unable for Edward to hear Alice's and Carlisle's thoughts.

And then I felt it.

A weird sort of buzzing filled my head, not unlike the one I had felt when Edward was kissing me. My eyes closed tightly, and I felt an almost numb feeling rake through my body . . . Although breathing was no longer necessary, I felt uncomfortable as my breath hitched, a small gasp escaping my lips.

The numbness raked through my mind, jumbling my thoughts, making it hard to stay focused, to stay alert . . .

And then I felt my knees buckle beneath me.

I was suddenly in Edward's arms, his voice murmuring my name in my ear. I opened my eyes, blinking in confusion. His black eyes were anxious with concern, his complexion significantly paler.

"Bella, are you okay?" He held me closely against him; I realized he was crouching, that I was inches from the floor. I shuddered; vampires weren't supposed to fall like that. It was almost like one of my fainting spells, all over again . . .

"I'm fine," I told him, though I was not entirely sure. "What happened? Did it work?"

He sighed, the anxiety still prominent in his eyes. "A little too well, I think."

"Why? What happened?"

Edward stared at me in amazement for a moment, and then smiled the crooked smile that I loved.

"I didn't hear Carlisle's thoughts . . . or anyone else's, for that matter."

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Read and Review. As always, a big, fat "Thanks" to all of you who have reviewed so far, and to anyone else who has read and enjoyed.

Chapter 13 will be up – you guessed it – next weekend.

If you have any comments or questions or anything else that you'd like answered, either put it in your review, or shoot me a PM – I'll always to my best to clear anything up with you, or to provide you with any information that you may need.

So until next week, Happy Reading!

-Lx3


	13. Chapter 13

Reborn : C13

**Reborn : C13**

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**J A C O B**

I was sprawled restlessly across my bed, unable to sleep, unable to let my mind go to a safer place – a calmer one.

I closed my eyes, the image of Bella, falling to the ground, burned into my eyelids. They snapped open again, my body jolting in frustration; this had been going on for the past hour.

No human would survive that attack. In theory, Bella should have died.

But only a tiny fraction in my mind believed that that possibility still existed; that Bella had closed her eyes for the last time, had breathed her last breath.

Because by now, the filthy bloodsuckers would have turned her. In fact . . . Bella would be fully changed by now.

I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my feet nearly breaking through the wooden floor. I couldn't sit here. I couldn't.

I left the house as silently as possible, hoping not to wake up Billy; the last thing I needed right now was his calm, philosophical reasoning.

Leaving the house, I broke into a run, feeling the familiar sensation take place as my body phased into that of the giant wolf.

_Jacob. _Sam's voice greeted me, deadly calm.

_Any sign of her?_ I was still hopeful; another foolish fraction of my mind burned brightly with the false anticipation, knowing that there was no way she could have survived . . .

A jumbled mixture of thoughts passed through my mind; snapshots, images.

Scents.

_There's a new scent present near the Cullens' home . . . I'm pretty sure . . ._

I ran faster, my paws pounding into the earth. _But not positive._

And then I found the memory of the scent in Sam's mind, experiencing it for myself.

Sickly sweet, of course. Overpoweringly so.

And yet somehow . . .

My instincts took over, recognizing the face behind the scent. A blurry, shaded image of Bella formed in my mind, tender and laughing, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

_Jacob . . ._

Why was he so calm? Didn't he understand? Didn't he _realize_?

An angry growl burned in my throat as I let the wolf in me take over, carrying me far away from the pain that ripped through my heart.

**B E L L A**

"So . . . where _are_ we going, exactly?"

Edward and I were speeding down the highway, the first signs of night touching the sky. He turned to me, clearly smirking. "You'll see soon enough. Can't you just enjoy the nice, soothing drive?"

I rolled my eyes at him. Sure, the intense speed felt different now . . . I felt safer this time around, less vulnerable. It was almost a comforting experience . . . especially with my hand still deeply intertwined with Edward's.

"Not really. I'm not a fan of surprises, you know."

He sighed, feigning disappointment. "I'm taking you hunting, of course."

I felt a thrill in the pit of my stomach – but not necessarily a good one. "Hunting? Already?"

He chuckled now. "Considering we both have a rather substantial thirst at the moment . . . don't you think that it's a good idea?"

I frowned, more aware of the burning in the back of my throat, of the tense feeling that knotted up my back. "Uh, yeah, I guess. I just wasn't sure if I was _ready_ . . ."

He chuckled again, his dark eyes bright with amusement. "You're as ready as you'll ever be, of course. Being ready simply means being thirsty." His gaze lingered on my face for a moment, his hand lightly tracing the bruise-like shadowing that now circled my eyes. "And you _are_ thirsty . . ."

I managed a weak smile. "Yeah, I guess I am."

In truth, I was nervous. Edward had never allowed me to watch him hunt before – the very idea of letting me do so had horrified him.

I tried to picture myself hunting; stalking a deer, teeth bared, hands extended outward . . .

I laughed. I couldn't help it. The image was so ridiculous in my mind.

"What?" His eyes were on me again, clearly amused.

"Nothing," I answered, the laughter subsiding. "I was just wondering – how exactly do I do _it_?"

He chuckled. "_It_ being hunting, I presume?"

I smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. I mean, I know you sort of _attack_ the animal, but I don't get _how_, exactly . . ."

He was quiet for a moment, thinking. "It won't be hard for you, not at all . . . It's more about giving yourself to your instincts more than anything else."

I swallowed. "Ah. Okay. And how do I do that?"

I saw the corners of his mouth turn up, very slightly. "You'll see when you're there. It's very . . . intuitive." He seemed to be laughing at some private joke, and I frowned in irritation.

"It'd better be." I crossed my arms over my chest in mock anger, and he laughed.

Finally, Edward edging the car to a stop next to a broken path on the side of the road. He pulled the key out of the ignition, smiling his crooked smile. "Are you ready?"

I shrugged. "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess."

We left the car, our feet crunching noisily in the montage of leaves and twigs that coated the ground. He stopped suddenly, turning to look at me. "We'll have to run the rest of the way."

I nodded, waiting for him to turned around and crouch so that I could climb onto his back. He stared at me, puzzled.

"Bella, you do realize that you can run on your own, now . . ."

I brought the heel of my palm to my forehead in embarrassment. "Oh, right. Duh. Sorry about that."

He chuckled. "That's quite allright. Now, of course, you may not be able to keep up . . ."

I grinned at his dare. "Probably not."

"Well, let's what you can do, then, shall we?"

And then we ran.

--

"See that deer, over there?" He pointed at a flitting shadow between the trees. I nodded.

"I prefer something a little bit more aggressive," He grinned, knowing that I would immediately remember his preferred mountain lion. "But I suppose deer is a good way to start – if you remember, it was Carlisle's first . . . taste, if you will."

I nodded again. I tried to focus on the unfamiliar ache that was lingering in the pit of my stomach, the tender burning that tinged my throat. "What now?"

He chuckled. "Go on – remember, let your instincts guide you."

I rolled my eyes, but began to walk towards the deer, finally breaking into a run.

Running with Edward as a human had prepared me for the running I would do as a vampire. But I had never expected the feeling to be so _enjoyable_ – the unexpected rush, the feeling of giving yourself to the wind . . . it was all the more stronger when the feat was being accomplished by your own body, rather than depending on somebody else's.

The deer came into view again; it had paused, lifting its head to look at me. Its eyes were large, innocent . . . fearful. I was fiercely reminded of the trite expression -- "a deer caught in headlights".

I was the car. I was going to take it down.

The wild thought seemed to break away a careful barrier that had lay inside of me; suddenly, my thirst was _everywhere_; in my muscles, as my fingers curled and back tensed . . . in my stomach, as the aching grew furious . . . in my chest, as I heard a low, tender growl purr through me . . .

And of course, in my mouth, I felt the venom begin to collect , coating my razor-sharp teeth. My tongue slipped out, lazily running over my lips.

The deer remained frozen, too stunned to move.

I leapt forward, time seeming to freeze as my feet left the ground.

And then I struck.

It was mostly a blur; I was suddenly on the deer; I wanted the deer . . . I _wanted_ it. I was only vaguely aware of my teeth sinking into its neck, of my hands clawing viciously at its flesh.

The smell of blood cleared away any rational thought – I was the hunter; this was my prey.

As the first of the blood trickled down my throat, the monster inside of me purred, satisfied with my victory. The taste was incredible; it couldn't be properly described into words. At best, I could describe it as vaguely smoky, vaguely sweet . . . but overwhelmingly _whole_.

I drank eagerly, closing my eyes, savoring the rich flavor.

"Bella,"

I froze, and then snapped my head around, my eyes wide. Who dared to threaten _my _meal?

Oh. Edward.

I felt myself come back, my mind slowly slipping back into place over the blood-lust, the overwhelming instincts.

With a sudden realization, I knew that once upon a time, I would have been horrified at what I had been doing . . . at _Edward_ being there while I was doing it . . .

But I surprised myself by smiling. "Edward," I stood up, turning away from the deer, away from the temporary beast that now dwelled within me.

His returning smile was hesitant at first, but gradually, it grew into the crooked smile that I loved.

Everything would be easy from now on; we were free.

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Read and Review – a big thanks to everyone, as usual, for your support. You guys are the best.

Only 2 more Saturdays until Breaking Dawn….I can hardly wait!


	14. Chapter 14

Reborn : C14

**Reborn : C14**

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**E D W A R D**

Naturally, I had been wary at the idea of watching Bella hunt.

Since I had met her, Bella had always been so fragile, so vulnerable. The concept of her no longer being that innocent girl, but a predator, a monster. . . it had frightened me; sickened me, even.

I did not expect the surge of comfort that had flooded through me as she stepped aside from the deer, a shy smile on her pallid face. Her eyes – more golden than black, now, her thirst having been somewhat quenched – were overly bright as she walked over to me.

"Sorry about that." Her voice was a little breathless, her eyes cast downward.

"About what?" I studied her expression with confusion.

"Uh . . . the way I looked at you when you came out of nowhere?"

I chuckled, realizing that if she were able to do so, her face would have flushed the amusing scarlet.

"Bella, don't apologize for something that isn't your fault." I cupped her chin with my hand, lifting her face so that I could look into her eyes. "You understand now, of course, why I never wanted you to see me hunt?"

She smiled sheepishly. "Yeah . . . I guess I should've considered that a fair warning?"

I laughed. "I told you that you'd be relying purely on your instincts. Did you think I was really throwing you out there, completely helpless?"

Bella grinned, now. "No, I guess not."

I pulled her closer, lightly kissing her forehead. "You're still thirsty, of course, so I won't keep you."

"Funny choice of words." She laughed lightly. "I'm yours to keep forever now, you know."

I rolled my eyes. "Undoubtedly."

"Won't you join me, then? I'm not the only one who's thirsty." She traced the circles under my eyes, and then suddenly winced.

"Bella? What's wrong?"

She shook her head, the smile returning to her face. "It's . . . nothing. Shall we go?"

I examined her face for another moment. Something was wrong . . . something in her eyes . . .

I shrugged it off – I was imagining things. Bella was fine.

**B E L L A**

"Edward . . . you never told me . . . Where, exactly, does Charlie think I am right now?"

We were driving home now, our hunting have been successful; both of our thirsts had been satisfied

.

He was silent for a moment, obviously struggling over some internal debate. Finally, he sighed.

"Charlie thinks that you were transferred to a Clinic."

I did not miss the carefulness of his tone.

"Why not keep me at the hospital?"

Another pause. He sighed again, and began speaking, his words coming out in the familiar rush.

"Bella, when you _were_ in the hospital . . . well, it didn't look very likely that you were going to make it. Carlisle believed that at the point you were at, there were only two options left; to let you . . ." He winced, agony shadowing his angelic face, "Obviously, Bella, I couldn't live without you . . . and at that point, I had still believed that you had jumped off of the cliff to kill yourself – because of me, no less! I couldn't let death" – wince – "claim you . . . not when I needed you, needed to tell you the _truth_, besides . . ."

I froze. Irony came to mind . . . "You were going to change me, weren't you?" It was not a question, but a statement.

"Bella, I couldn't let you die . . . I couldn't. And then you had woken up; everything had been fine. You were alive, and you were human; a combination that I had most wanted for you. You have to understand – as much as I want to spend forever with you, I did not want you to lose your soul . . .

"If it hadn't been for your friend, the wolf . . . Bella, you'd still be _human._ Your mortality could live to fight another day, live to survive another argument . . ." He chuckled mirthlessly. "And it sickens me, of course, that a deeper part of me is _happy_ that you're a monster now . . . Happy that I never have to worry about losing you again, about having to focus the every fiber of my existence on making sure that you're okay, that you are, in fact, alive . . ."

"Edward." I pressed my hand against the side of his face, willing him to look at me. He did, of course . . .

The agony in his eyes cut through me like a knife, creating a deep and bleeding wound . .

"Edward, none of that matters anymore. We're here now, we're together – you know this was meant to be. This was destined to happen sooner or later . . . and frankly, I'm almost thankful that it _did_ happen _sooner_."

I barely noticed as the car edged to a stop on the side of the road.

I did, however, notice when Edward was suddenly holding me tight against his chest, and eventually, pressing his lips to my own.

"I love you, Bella. I always have, and I always will."

**J A C O B**

I was not sure _why_, exactly, that I was standing outside of Bella's home – her old home, her _human_ home.

I knew that I was waiting, but I did not know what for.

I was being foolish if I thought I'd run into Bella any time soon; the chances of her being around here any time soon were slim to none – not when she was in danger of killing her own father.

Was I waiting for the leech? The filthy blood-sucker that had changed her? There was no doubt in my mind that it was he who had done it . . .

No. He'd be with her the whole time, holding her hand, comforting her . . .

I closed my eyes, trying to calm my pulse. I did not need to think about that now . . . not when I had finally managed to recoil the beast inside of me.

I needed to focus on what I knew was true; Bella was not _Bella_ anymore.

She never would be _Bella_ again. She was my enemy, now.

I walked up to the front door, knocking once. I managed a polite smile as Charlie opened the door, pleasantly surprised to see me.

"Jake! This is a surprise . . . Is your dad okay?"

I grimaced. Naturally, he was worried about Billy . . . especially after Harry Clearwater's recent, untimely death.

"Billy's fine, Charlie . . . It's about Bella, actually . . ." reference allude

I tried to keep my face calm as Charlie paled, his face crumpling in concern. "What's wrong? Have you heard something?"

I sighed. "There's something I need to tell you about her . . ."

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**A/N : **I'm sorry! Very , very sorry! I was sort of lazy this weekend, because for some reason, it was hard for me to be able to sit down with the computer for a solid amount of time to write this.

If I _was_ going to discontinue the story, I would have told you. Sorry if I made you worry!

Okay, hope you enjoyed it . . . I didn't really like this chapter, honestly . . . I sort of hated it . . .

But I'll leave it to all of you to be the critics.

BREAKING DAWN COMES OUT THIS WEEK!

(Plus I'm going to the concert tour on Friday, so you can imagine that I want this week to go by like lightening)

Because of my extremely busy weekend – and the fact that all of you will be reading Breaking Dawn – I will not post Chapter 15 until mid-next week, or next weekend entirely. We'll see.

Happy reading, everyone!


	15. AN

Announcement:

**Announcement:**

Hello, readers. No, this isn't another chapter – and I'm sorry if I've gotten you excited thinking that it was.

This is a little note to tell you that for the moment, I am halting progress on Reborn.

I have a legitimate reason, so hear me out:

After reading Breaking Dawn, I cannot properly relay my disappointment to you all. I expected so much more from her – from this series. I won't go into detail here – I don't want to spoil it for those who have not read it yet – but for those of you who have: I am sure a great deal of you agree with me.

So, as a little project for myself, I decided that I'm going to write my own version of Breaking Dawn -- basically, my opinion of how it _should_ have went down.

This won't be as carefree as Reborn was – I'm going to invest a lot of time into this, and I'm going to work harder on it than I've worked on any other piece of writing before. The chapters will be full length chapters – not the short, crappy ones that Reborn consists of.

I'm going to try to make up for the travesty that is Breaking Dawn.

Of course, I won't do it without your support – please review, letting me know if you think this is a good idea or not. I'll probably do it either way, but it would still be nice to know. In addition, I'd appreciate if you would take the time to PM me, with the ending that you would have liked to see. I already have a general idea of what I'd like to do (Nessie free is the way to be!) but I'd like to hear from all of you, so that I can shape it to match the appetite of the general population of Twilighers.

Thank you for reading this!

**-Luna x3**


	16. AN PART 2

Hello Readers

Hello Readers.

I'd like to start out by thanking you for all of the feedback that you submitted after reading the note that I placed in Chapter 15.

This is just another friendly note to let you know – if you don't know already – that my redo of BD, Dawn, is now up and ready. I've currently posted the first two chapters, and I have already begun working on the third.

I've decided that I _will_ work on Reborn in between, and I'm going to alternate as to which story I update every few days. I will tell you, though, that the third chapter of Dawn will be up before the 15th chapter of Reborn.

Thank you all _very_ much for sticking with me, and for putting up with these annoying notes.

If you have any additional feedback, simply put it in your review, or shoot me a PM.

Thank you!

-Lx3

P.S. : I promise – In my version of BD, There is no : Nessie / Crap Climax / Waste of Space Characters / Overall Pointless Plot Points / Sugar-Duper-Happy-Rainbow Ending / etc.


	17. Chapter 15

Reborn : C15

**Reborn : C15**

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**C H A R L I E**

"Hello?"

A familiar, soft voice answered in response. "Hello, Charlie."

A complicated mixture of emotions rose up inside of me. I cleared my throat, attempting to gain composure – though, if Jacob was already in the next room with formidable information concerning Bella, why shouldn't I be worried?

"Charlie?"

I cleared my throat again. "Sorry. Hi, Carlisle. How's . . ." I suddenly found it hard to say her name, a lump forming in the back of my throat.

"Bella's fine, Charlie. She seems to have made a full and complete recovery."

_Then why is Jacob Black standing in the other room?_

"I'm glad to here that. Can I see her?"

There was a moment of silence on the other line, and then the inaudible sound of shuffling papers. "Not yet, Charlie. I'd give her a few days to regain her strength; anything too emotionally traumatic might be bad for her . . .a relapse, you know . . ."

I grunted. "Uh. Right. Okay, then. You're the doctor. I guess you know what's best."

"Thank you, Charlie. I'll have her call you in a few hours; she's been asking for you."

I smiled, though he could not see. "Glad to hear it. Tell her I miss her."

"Will do. Take care, Charlie."

"Right. You too."

The line went dead, and as I hung the phone back on the wall, I could not help but feel that I had been lied to.

Perhaps it was Jacob; his agitation rubbing off on me as he paced back and forth in my living room, mumbling something incoherent.

Perhaps it was some paternal instinct, alerting me that Bella was _not_ okay.

Or perhaps I was just being stupid.

"Jake?"

At the sound of his name he abruptly turned to face me, his expression as grave as it was alert. "Yeah, Charlie."

"Are you . . . Bella . . .?" I was grasping at the right words, the right question. What was it that I was asking him?

He inhaled shakily, his deep brown skin flushing with some unknown emotion. "Yeah. Bella. Charlie . . ." I had never seen him more serious; his warm brown eyes had developed an icy edge, burning through my own. "You might want to sit down for this."

I did not question him; I merely sat. Jacob continued to pace the floor, suddenly unable to meet my gaze.

"Bella isn't who you think she is anymore, Charlie. She's not the daughter that you said your goodbyes to a few days ago."

I swallowed. His words confused me, but his tone was enough to send shivers down my spine. "And what do you mean by that, Jake?"

"The Bella you know – the Bella you love – does not exist anymore. She's . . ."

And then he stopped, his gaze hard and firm on mine once more. "You're not going to believe any of this, of course. Bear with me, if you can."

I shrugged. "Just get on with it."

"The world you live in . . . It's not as simple of a world as you think it is." He measured my frustrated expression; for a fraction of a moment, I wondered if he was pulling my leg.

The hardness in his eyes told me otherwise.

"Charlie . . . Did Billy ever talk to you about the old Quileute legends? About the wolves? The cold ones?"

My mind was blank. "Not that I can recall."

He mumbled something about a treaty, shaking his head. "Never mind that then. You know of these legends though, right?"

"Of course." Anyone who was a friend of Billy Black's would know how fondly he treasured those legends . . .

"Then I'll make this short : they aren't just legends."

Frustration ran through me again, and I narrowed my eyes at him. "All due respect, Jake . . . What does this have to do with my daughter?"

He sighed heavily. "I'm getting there. Bella is a part of these legends now . . . of their reality."

"Of . . ." My voice died out. It was no use interrupting him; I'd just have to let him talk.

"The Quileute are special people, Charlie. My friends and I . . . Sam . . ."

I was vaguely reminded of Bella's concern about Jacob being pulled into a gang, a cult . . .

And how quickly these seemingly ridiculous worries had evaporated.

" . . . we're the natural born enemies of the Cullens."

"Jacob, please, I'm not understanding . . ."

"The Cullens are the Cold Ones, Charlie. The vampires."

Anger, now. "Jacob, I don't have time for this."

"They're vampires, Charlie. They drink blood. They're monsters."

As heated as my brain was with anger at Jacob for presenting me with these silly stories, I could not help but remember a nagging part of my brain . . .

A part that reminded me that I had never seen Edward Cullen eat, through all of the times that he had stayed for dinner . . .

"And now your daughter is one of them."

We sat, staring at eachother for a moment, his eyes boring into mine.

"Lies, Jacob. Stories. You've gone mad." I was surprised at the broken, rasping sound of my voice. I tried to laugh, and the sound was no more than a bark; coarse air coughing out of my throat.

"The Quileutes are werewolves, Charlie. We were born to kill them."

As I opened my mouth to protest, I watched as the boy that stood before me blurred and exploded into the shape of a giant wolf.

Somewhere in the distance, I was aware of the kitchen phone ringing.

I did not move to answer it.

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This was crappily written, and I apologize. I was sort of a bit over-eager to get Chapter 15 out there, after not posting a new chapter for so long.

Cliffhanger, of course )

Oh, and I think you can all make a pretty good guess as to who the caller at the end of the chapter is.

Thanks, as always, for sticking with me. And to all of those who have begun reading Dawn, I hope you're enjoying it so far. Chapter Four is already forming, and I promise, the action is going to begin to pick up.

-Lx3


	18. Chapter 16

Reborn : C16

**Reborn : C16**

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**B E L L A**

Upon arriving home, Edward and I found Alice in a blind panic.

She sat squarely on the vast sofa, her fingers pressed to her temples, her lips parted in shock. Fear rose up inside of me. What now? What was happening?

Edward froze beside me, his own expression aghast. "The dog…"

My body was suddenly as rigid as his. As much as I hated Jacob for what he had done . . . for what he had _tried_ to do . . .

"He's told Charlie."

Time stood still, and I remained statue-still, my mind blank from the shock. And then my head slowly turned, my fingers curling as I absorbed the meaning of his words.

"He's…told…Charlie…"

"Everything. My family, where you've really been the past week . . ."

No. _No._ Charlie couldn't know the truth . . . he couldn't know what I had become . . .

Quicker than lightening, I was at the Cullen's telephone, my fingers pushing the buttons so fast that they were nothing more than a blur.

And then I waited. One ring…two rings…three rings…like the steady heartbeat that I no longer had.

_You've reached the Swan Residence. Leave a message._

_  
_I hung the receiver back into the base, resisting the urge to crumple it into dust. Naturally Charlie wouldn't be there . . . he would be coming here, wouldn't he be? To see if it was true?

Edward was at my side then, his hands firm on my waist. "Bella, love . . . there's something I need to tell you."

Something about the unnaturally evenness of his voice made me pull away. I studied the careful composure of his expression, the guarded quality of his eyes. "What?"

"Bella . . . remember when I told you about the vampires in Italy? The ones that I had decided to seek in the event that you had died?"

I winced at the memory. The idea of Edward dying, of Edward ceasing to exist . . . it was an unbearable thought. Impossible. But I nodded, my eyes narrowing as I recalled the conversation in perfect context. "The Volturi?"

He nodded. "Bella, the Volturi have a strict set of rules . . . the most important being that people can't _know_ that we exist."

I was silent for a moment, considering that. And then I shook my head. "You weren't exactly abiding to that rule, Edward. I mean, I knew about you before, didn't I?"

"Bella . . . I technically wasn't allowed to tell you. Had the Volturi known . . . you wouldn't have lived for very long after that. It was selfish of me to expose myself to you, to let you in on the danger . . ." He shook his head, the corners of his mouth turning upward, though it wasn't a happy smile. "You have no idea how selfish I was . . . how much danger I would keep you in, day after day . . ."

I grabbed his hand then, and his eyes fluttered open, meeting my burning gaze. "I don't want you feeling that way, and you know it. If you doubt for one minute that all of the trouble wasn't worth it . . . The danger was meaningless."

He smiled a real smile now, though his eyes were still subtly hinting at his inner turmoil. "I will never doubt that . . . not now, not ever. You're everything to me, Bella. Never forget that."

I kissed him lightly then, but I had other things on my mind. "I love you, Edward. But I need you to tell me: Is Charlie in danger?"

"It's very possible; if the Volturi were to find out, our law says that we would have to kill him."

I blinked once, unphased. "Right. Okay. They're not going to find out, and so that's not going to be a problem. If I may remind you, they didn't have the slightest clue about me . . ."

Edward sighed. "It's not that easy, Bella. It's nowhere near as simple. You were lucky, and extremely so. All we can do is rely on Alice, and hope that she will be able to see it, should they decide to come . . ."

I nodded again, confident. "Okay. That won't be a problem." And it wouldn't be; what were the chances of a league of Italian vampires randomly showing up _here_, of all places?

"That's out of the way . . . now we just need to figure out what we're going to tell Charlie."

**J A C O B**

I hated to frighten Charlie this way; he was such a good friend of Billy's, and such a kind, decent man . . .

So undeserving of the fate of his daughter . . . undeserving of a _bloodsucker__._

I grimaced at the thought of seeing her again, as I had many times in the past few hours. I couldn't bear the idea of being revolted at her smell, at the iciness of her skin . . . the vivid crimson of her newborn eyes . . .

What would Charlie think?

He hadn't said much to me, after I had showed him that my words weren't lies. He just sort of sat there on the couch, his eyes staring into space. I knew that it was taking time for him to absorb what he'd just seen . . . hell, when I myself found out that I could take the shape of a giant wolf, I thought was losing my mind.

I knew Charlie wasn't going to break down – he was too sturdy for that. Like Bella, he would let the truth wash over him before jumping to any conclusions.

And I was right; after sitting in stillness for two hours, he cleared his throat, his eyes locking with mine.

"So, my Bella is a vampire?" His voice was rough, corrosive.

"Yeah."

"She's been one for how long?"

"It's hard to say . . ." I bit my lip at the overwhelming guilt that flooded through me as the painful memory came into view; the harsh sunlight, my paws stretched out in front of me, Bella's fragile form as she crumpled to the ground . . . "A few days, I think."

He nodded; I had answered some unspoken question. He stood up, stretching slightly, his eyes hard. "I have to go see her."

I grabbed his arm. "Whoa. No can do, Charlie. She's a _vampire_. They feed on blood."

His eyes remained hard, his jaw set stubbornly; my heart ached at the way that his features reminded me of Bella . . . "Dammit, Jacob. She's not going to _eat_ me." He frowned at the words, his nose wrinkling in disgust.

I said nothing – but what could I say? That newborn vampires had a tendency to be mad? That all they cared about was satisfying the insatiable thirst? That it was very likely his own daughter would rip his throat out upon seeing her?

"You can't go, Charlie. It isn't safe."

"You say that the rest of the Cullens are vampires . . . and yet they blend into a normal society. Carlisle . . ." His expression grew more confident as he collected his thoughts. "Carlisle's a _doctor_, Jake – and a darn good one. He hasn't killed anyone."

Perceptive. "Right, but that's different. The Cullens . . . they're _supposed_ to be safer than the average vampire; they feed on animals."

Charlie narrowed his eyes at me. "You might've mentioned that before, Jacob."

I shrugged. Did that really make a difference? They were bloodsuckers, through and through.

"I trust my daughter, Jacob. No matter what she is . . . no matter what they've done to her . . . she's still my Bella, isn't she?"

I opened my mouth, but words failed me. _Was_ she still the same Bella? Was I being entirely stupid about this? Surely venom couldn't have changed her that much . . .

And then the image flashed in my mind again; the image that had gone with the scent.

Happy Bella, laughing, her dark hair blowing lightly around her porcelain face . . . Bella, as she was supposed to be, her cheeks bright with the blood that ran through her.

She was not the same. She would never be the same.

I was too absorbed in my thoughts to notice Charlie as he walked swiftly past me, slamming the door behind him as he went. I was only vaguely aware of the sound of the engine of his cruiser starting to life, the gravel of the driveway crunching as he drove away.

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It's been a while. Thank you, as always, for reading.

Oh, and another thanks to those who have read Dawn . . .I don't want to post messages at the end of the chapters, so I figured I would thank you all here.

School's started up again, so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to update – I'll do the best I can, though.


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